Shattered
by Kuro The Dark Ringmaster
Summary: After the death of Admiral Forrest, Kate has taken a new role and decided to insure that his legacy continues. She enrolls in MACO program and quickly excels. Only to find herself assigned to the last individual she imagined, Ambassador Soval. Secrets slowly come to light as she works to protect the rather reluctant Vulcan. Soval/OC, Suran, General Forrest
1. Prologue

**_To whom it may concern,_**

**_I would like to sincerely apologize to both _**Sensera**_ and Fameanon, in no way was I attempting to steal your characters or plot line. For this I apologize, I didn't realize that I had done such a thing. In response to _**this**_ I have made several alterations._**  
>Ginie<strong><em>'s name has been changed to Kathrine Samantha Forrest, her appearance will remain since it is essential for fans to see the connection between herself and Admiral Forrest, her father. You'll also note that the motorcycle has changed to a Cobalt Blue Yamazaki, it will appear several times in the series. She is still <em>**a MACO**_ but also has a Masters in Poly Sci and Economics. That will not change._**  
>Sorak<strong><em> has been changed to Suran, his appearance will also be altered, his hair will become salt and peppered and he will have gray eyes. He will be a bit more assertive, but still a Vulcan at heart.<em>**  
><strong><em>As for the plot, I admit the parallel between the works is uncanny, however I will not change how she arrives before the Ambassador after 5 years, it was logical and something I could see the Admiral do without a doubt. Thus, the letter and plot device will remain. However, the direction was different to being with and you're going to love how far I'm going to take it.<em>**  
><strong><em>If you have any questions feel free to contact me. All the names will be altered in both ACW and "Shattered".<em>**  
><strong><em>I apologize once again.<em>**

**_Sincerely,_**  
><strong><em>Kuro the Dark Ringmaster<em>**

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. All its characters, settings, artifacts and organizations are property of Paramount Pictures, <span>Rick Berman<span>, Brannon Braga. The characters Kathine Forrest and Suran were inspired by Sensara and Fameanon's Gine Forrest and Sorak. Any and all parallels between the two works is unintentional.**_

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><p><strong>Prologue: The Wind<strong>

Humanity has always relied on a number of different forces over time to move them, the paths laid through the mountains and in the earth, the tides of the sea, and even the magnetic pull of the earth's poles. Yet none of them has been more influential than the wind, with each gust she allows for change in not only physical course as the ship is forced to follow her influence, but the very course of history itself. The wind, a changing factor altering the very way a sailor leads his life, a variable altering the movement of planes and rockets, a driving mechanism spurring humanity ever forward as she brings new visitors and reunites old friends.

The wind swept through San Francisco only this wind wasn't pleasant, it served as a harbinger for just what was to occur. Things had changed greatly in the once sparkling city, it's silver and white buildings which had towered over the old streets, and stood proud against the captivating blue sky, had seemed to dim, as a solemn blanket seemed to smother the city. Just crossing the sky was a series of shuttles, all too familiar a sight for Star Fleet personnel, in a long succession carrying precious cargo. The stillness was startling as each of them touched down, a long parade of shuttle pods from not only _Enterprise_ but other starships.

The wind seemed to chill every bone in their bodies as it swept through once again, causing the half-mast flags to flicker softly, the only other sound in the space, besides the hum of the engines on each of the pods. Slowly each casket was lifted by a number of personnel; their pace was measured and dedicated as they carried the fallen to their finally resting place. Loved ones waited silently as each casket arrived, only when they heard the name announced did they allow themselves to cry.

Standing toward the top of the stairs of Star Fleet Command was perhaps the most solemn of sights, a young woman dressed in black, her long light blonde hair swept across her face as her blue eyes shown the pain she had been attempting to suppress, they glistened in the light. Her arms were wrapped around her chest in an attempt to keep herself from falling to pieces. Her thin form stood out starkly against the once bright silver buildings, a testament to the emotions that lay beneath her façade. Skin that had once been tanned now seemed ashen as the full force of loss enveloped her.

A total of 44 caskets had arrived, a long procession of soldiers returning home. Each had a familiar white flag with a blue and gold Starfleet emblem on it, a symbol of Earth's first steps into the universe. One by one their names were called, ringing in the air with a hint of finality, proof that life was short. The final shuttle landed quietly, it was marked NX-5 it was a shuttle from the USS Enterprise, the ship which had carried those who has passed from Vulcan home. Not a word was said as the door of the craft opened, "Admiral Maxwell Forrest," was called, the name hanging in the air as though it were a knell, loud and lamenting.

The lone form waiting on the top of the stairs watch silently as the casket was carried out of the shuttle. It was then a commotion was heard, shouts off anger and loathing rang in the air as 6 unlikely men carried the Admiral. At the back stood a rather downtrodden doctor, dressed in black from head to foot, his joyous and gentle smile gone, as an agonizing expression replaced it. The Denobulans blue eyes seemed dim as he supported the weight of the one man he couldn't save. His capable hands supported the right back corner.

Standing on the other side was a man who wasn't as well known, one which few expected to ever see on Earth. His vibrant blue skin was less so, a gray tinge was ever present as his antenna seemed to dip downward. Commander Shran of the Imperial Guard from Andoria carried the casket with ease, despite his slightly hunched posture supported the left back corner.

Holding the middle of the casket were a duo that had brought the Admiral both joy and misery, as a familiar blonde Engineer from Mississippi, Commander Charles Tucker III, and a smaller but just as strong blonde Englishman, Lieutenant Malcolm Reed stood across, carrying the casket with dignity, as though it were their final mission for the fallen admiral.

Yet, it wasn't the Andorian who had truly shocked the occupants of the square but least likely pair leading the way. Standing in front of Commander Shran was a tall dark-haired man, his features were shadowed with grief as his posture screamed respect, Captain Jonathan Archer of the USS Enterprise, marching onward, carrying the body of his colleague and friend. The one who had been responsible for dragging him out of that dusty barn and to the testing site to transform his father's dream into reality.

Standing beside him, at the front was the figure that many perceived as always battling against human destiny. Silver hair became ruffled as the wind blew once more, his dark olive toned skin, with a touch of green to it seemed paler. There was a vivid green bruise on the side of his face, yet it didn't take away from his general aura, in fact it added to it. He was dressed in black from head to food, his robes whispering as he moved, his hands wrapped around the casket cradling it as though it would shatter if jostled. The Vulcan Ambassador moved with grace, and despite his emotionless expression, it were as though the sadness radiated off him. Despite all that had happened on Vulcan, Ambassador Soval had returned to Earth, not only to pay his respects, but to ensure that the fallen Admiral arrived safely.

This group of four very different species, three of which known to quarrel and disagree, had all managed to gather to pay respects to the one individual that seemed to believe in all of them. Never before had an Andorian, Vuclcan, Human and Denobulan been seen together, let alone carry a casket. Once they had finally walked to the center of the square, the silver casket was placed on a massive stone block. Each of the members standing at a corner of the casket pulled a corner of the flag. Reed and Trip took a step back from the casket as the four held the white flag over the silver casket, it did not waver as the wind swept through once more, they had pulled it taut to maintain respect for the man.

In the distance sounded a horn, it was deep and melancholy as the four slowly folded it in half, and then folded it once more, standing off to the side of the casket as they did so. It was a motion that had been known on earth for centuries, one that the Admiral had insisted they kept. Archer stepped aside supporting the middle of the flag, as Phlox shifted as well, their hands spaced evenly, allowing for Soval to begin the all too familiar fold. With ease the Ambassador folded the corner down, creating a triangle, and began to continue the motion, before allowing Archer to take over, and then Phlox.

It wasn't until the end that Shran touched the flag, his fingers tentatively running over the crisp white fabric before holding it to Captain Archer, who nodded to each of them, before another flag was pulled and placed on the casket by a group of marines, a US flag draped over the casket before it was lifted from its post and carried to the waiting hearse.

Not until the black flitter was away from view did the occupants of the square begin to leave, their whispers echoed against the concrete and their heavy footsteps seem to drown out all else. Standing resolutely at the top of the steps, was the young blonde dressed in black, her blue eyes watered and cheeks were now streaked with tears, unable to contain them any longer. Her slender arms were wrapped around her middle in an attempt to keep herself from falling apart before the rest, just long enough to retreated into the shadows. The folded white flag was still resting in Captain Archer's hands and she knew in that moment who it was for, she had known since she had received the news. After a breath, the Captain of the USS Enterprise turned and began to walk toward her, his dark blue dress uniform stood out starkly against the light gray pavement, his dark brown eyes never leaving her figure.

Flanking him was a young officer, dressed in what appeared to be black Vulcan robes. Sub-commander T'Pol, another individual who had impressed the late Admiral, she had been one of the fist Vulcans to work closely with humans and had made quite the impression. Her short light brown hair stayed in place as her dark brown eyes expressed a great deal of sorrow, despite her blank expression.

Walking beside Archer was Ambassador Soval, he was expressionless and seemed to be unfeeling, despite the situation. The green bruising was even more apparent as he drew nearer, so were the numerous cuts on his face, one slicing through his ear, leaving a dark green mark, marring his skin.

With each step they took, they grew closer to the young blonde who eyed them somberly. The pain which had blossomed in her chest now turned to agony as she watched the white flag grow ever closer. Her chest tightened, even breathing was becoming painful. The knowledge that no matter how she fought that she would never be able to see one of the fallen men and women again. They had been taken from them, long before their time. Blue eyes turned glassy as they gazed out at the trio unseeing.

It was then they came to a stop before her, their gaze never leaving her somber form. Captain Archer held out the flag, T'Pol was standing a step behind him and the Ambassador stood at Archer's side, his dark gaze squarely on the flag in the Captain's hands. "It was an honor to serve him, and he has done a great deal for not only our planet but others in the galaxy. He was the first man to drag me out of that barn and to this day I don't regret it," Archer stated, "He has done a great deal and all of Star Fleet grieves with you, Kathrine Forrest."

The captain's hands slowly extended to her, the white flag resting in them, "We give you this flag in recognition for the fallen admiral, we thank him for his service," he stated. Kathrine's hands shook as she slowly collected the flag from his waiting palms. Pale fingers wrapped around the flag as she finally grasped it. The white bundle of cloth felt heavier than ever, it was as though her father's memory had been woven into it. Archer and T'Pol left quietly, it was then she assumed that the Ambassador had left as well. From what little she had heard of the Ambassador he never made a great deal of noise.

In that moment, her small fingers clutched the flag, and reality slammed into her. Her father was never coming home, he was never going to walk through the door of their home, he would never open his arms in invitation for an embrace, she would never hear his voice again. She was alone. Her mother had no interest in her, after they had split, due to her father's constant desire to create the Federation of Planets, he didn't spend as much time as he would have wanted to with her. Kate had supported him in the endeavor, after all it would bring peace to at least their galaxy if he could do this.

A large warm palm slipped on her shoulder, it was far warmer than any human's skin, causing her to rapidly look up. Standing before her, with his hand on her shoulder was none other than the Vulcan Ambassador, his dark eyes filled with sadness. "All of Vulcan grieves with thee," he stated, his voice oddly gentle. Tears fell freely as she looked up at the Ambassador, "I miss him," she whispered, her vision becoming blurred causing the Vulcan to grip her shoulder. "As do I, but know this," he said firmly, "no matter what happens, he will not be forgotten. He will live on through you, and Archer… perhaps even all of Star Fleet." Kate's vision blurred with tears as she nodded to the Ambassador, his warm hand seemed to be an anchor, holding her in place to prevent her from slipping away thanks to the chaotic emotions flowing through her.

Calm slowly wrapped around her, it was warm and strong, its presence in her mind startled her at first, "You will always remember him, and because of that he is never gone, he will always be with you," the Vulcan Ambassador added as he gave her shoulder a little squeeze. Kate's eyes fell on the flag in her palms, "My dad believed in an alliance between our worlds, I hope I live to see that day," she said softly. The Vulcan Ambassador was oddly silent, yet she felt a hum of calm and another emotion she couldn't identify run through her.

"I'm certain you will," replied the Ambassador before he slowly lifted his hand, "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call me at the Consulate, Suran will immediately transfer you to me," he stated softly, his voice just above a whisper, as though he didn't want the square to hear of him consoling a young girl. Then again Vulcan's didn't display emotions frequently and Kate figured it was out of respect for her father that he would even offer. She nodded softly as she looked up into a pair of warm dark eyes, "Thanks," she replied softly.

The Ambassador nodded stiffly before turning on his heel and walking down the stairs, his aid waiting patiently for him as well as his security team. His long black robe billowing as he walked, his head high despite the situation and in that moment Kate took a moment to watch his powerful form retreated. "I'm going to be stronger," she whispered, "I won't let Dad's life have been lost in vain." The young blonde tucked the flag under her arm and swiftly entered Starfleet, she knew of one way to ensure that the Federation would occur, and it all started with her doing the one thing she never wanted to, she was going to commit herself to the goal of creating the Federation of Planets.

She despised violence, and honestly believed it did nothing but complicate things, however, in order for her to achieve her goal she would have to become one. The Ambassador was right, her father did live on through her, and she wasn't about to allow his dreams to die with him. With ease, the doors swung open as she strode purposefully into the building. Its occupants were silent and stared after her, the tears were gone and her eyes gained a gleam of determination as she strode with purpose down the cold hallways. "I won't let you down dad," she whispered as she passed a recently commissioned photo of him, a black ribbon was wrapped around the corner.


	2. The Nomad

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: _**Enterprise**_, it is the_** property,**_ of Paramount Pictures and it's creators: Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Katharine Forrest and Suran were inspired by characters created by _**Sensera**_ and Fameanon's _**Ginie**_ and Sorak. Any parallels between the works with this one were unintentional. _**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: The Nomad<strong>

**- FIVE YEARS LATER -**

Sitting on top of a large boulder was a grinning young woman with brown hair. Her blue eyes looked out over the mountain and she grinned. The sky was dark, but she could feel it, the excitement of a new just beginning. She lifted her wrist to look at her watch, Yosemite was quiet as dawn approached, "5," she whispered. Her voice echoed in the darkness, the silence was soon going to be split. She slipped off the massive rock and stood next to a bright Cobalt Blue Yamazaki motorcycle. "4," she said with a smirk, she swung her leg over the back of the bike. "3," she counted as she slipped her yellow tinted driving glasses on. She could see the sun slowly slipping over the horizon, "2," she shouted as she turned on the bike and throttled it. "1!" she cried, and in that moment, the sun sparked the sky. Hues of gold and orange spread through it as though the sky had been set aflame.

Just over the peak she could see Half Dome and grinned wickedly as she jumped the bike over a rock and tore down the mountain side. She leaned into the bike as she felt the air whip over her. She leading the charge into the darkness, into the unknown as it's fearless leader. She rode into the quickly receding shadow cast by the mountain. She could feel the vibration of the bike between her legs and felt a tingle travel up her spine as she jumped another large rock. The adrenaline was coursing through her veins as her heart pounded.

A cloud of dust followed her as she tore down the dirt path. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed through the yellow driving glasses, examining the trail before her as she deviated from the original and ventured into the unknown, as she wove between trees, rocks and bushes. She loved the feeling of freedom that she had come to associate with riding her bike. She shifted the bike again, causing it to surge forward even faster, she hadn't felt a rush like this since she had gone skydiving as part of her training.

As a fallen tree came into her view she became even more daring, without hesitation she jumped the bike onto the massive tree and rode on top of it, her tires treading across its aged bark with ease and she felt the world fly by. A grin of pure joy curved her lips as she quickly jumped the bike off the massive roots. She clutched the handle bars harshly as she felt the bike leave the confines of the earth and she did a quick flip. She forced the bike to somersault as she leaned forward, her eyes focused forward as any and all fear of crashing left her.

Her tires made contact with the hard soil beneath and in seconds she was screaming down the path, leaning into the turns as she did so. She had done this run occasionally and decided that it was the perfect exercise after climbing Half Dome. Her bike bounded as she began to cross over an old bridge, it's boards were uneven and she looked at the old side rail that had begun to rot due to neglect. She hopped the bike onto an old hiking path that had been forgotten. Her tires bounced, and despite the shocks she had put on it, she could feel ever bump, not that she minded. As she ripped down an old wooden stairway her communicator chirped.

The young woman halted and pulled off to the side so she could answer it. Irritation making itself known on her once thrilled face. She huffed in frustration as she straddled the still motorcycle and fished out her communicator.

"Hello," she said after a moment as she sat up and looked ahead of her. "Major Forrest, you are needed back at command, we have a new assignment for you," said her CO. Major Forrest sighed, she was hoping for a little more time off, when she remembered that today was the day several Ambassadors would be returning to Earth after a rather long leave of absence. Of course she was needed; it was foolish for her to think otherwise.

"Yes, sir," she replied quickly, "I'll be there within the hour, I'm in Yosemite." She heard no reply from the man as he hung up abruptly, "Bye then," she grumbled as she slipped it back onto her belt. If there had been anything she learned in MACO training it was that her CO wasn't a nice guy and manners weren't what they were known for. She was a soldier, not a princess, which oddly didn't faze her.

Kate looked at the path before her as she rode down it toward the road, she knew she would have to return to her post eventually, she had just hoped it wouldn't be quite so soon. Serving others wasn't an issue, but she just wished there were longer periods of time between taxing missions.

On her last assignment she had been tasked with protecting a delegation of doctors visiting a war-ravaged planet, needless to say there was a great deal of chance that they would be either abducted, killed and a very high possibility of both occurring. The trip was filled with drama as wounded men and women were brought into the tents and doctors scrambled to save them. She could still smell the antiseptic and blood.

It was just by sheer dumb luck that one of the physicians had been abducted, a Vulcan named Yuris Strom. While the High Command wasn't keen on her marching into enemy territory to retrieve the doctor, she had managed to get them to see reason that Strom was not only a member of the delegation, but had been doing important research, and that this event would lead to his death did they relent. She had the delegation transported onto a nearby Star Fleet Ship, the Commodore and proceeded with the operation.

She had retrieved Strom, who was battered from interrogation techniques that had been used, and return relatively unharmed, aside from the minor injury due to a phaser hit to her back before managing to escape. She had been out for several days recovering, but had received the respect of the Vulcan High Command and that of the Delegation.

Kate leaned to the left as she took a corner and felt the tires grip it. Hugging the corner tightly she smoothly accelerated, ripping out of the corner and continued down the road. She never did like Speed Limits; she honestly considered them more of a suggestion than a limit.

The only thing that was nagging her, was that this assignment was coming out of nowhere, she was supposed to have a week between her previous assignment and the next one, and yet she had only received two days. There was something odd about this situation.

Star fleet was filled with a number of people hustling to and fro. Kate had grown accustomed to the sight, and didn't see it as an issue. After Archer had left with Enterprise, to continue her mission, they had two years left, Star Fleet was scrambling to continue with the admiral's dream. Her footsteps echoed against the floors as she continued the familiar trek to her XO's office. Mumbled followed her, not that it was much of a surprise, she was the daughter of Admiral Forrest, and had become known for her daring behavior, quick thinking and dedication to missions.

She turned down another corridor and found herself standing outside the office of Admiral Gardner, he wasn't like her father. Unlike her father who embraced the opinions of others and often allowed for advisement from not only Ambassadors but members of the fleet who had encounter situations, he simply liked the sound of his own voice. It irritated her to a certain degree, but she had learned to cast it off. Gardner had been a friend of her father's and was practically family, at least according to himself he was.

Kate pushed open his office door and noticed him standing before her. "Hey kiddo," greeted Gardner, his smile was sickly sweet and she knew she was in for it. He only used that pet name when he was desperate or knew he was about to ask her to do something she had no interest in doing. She stood at attention and replied, "Admiral," coolly. Gardner stiffened slightly and internally she smirked, she hated that pet name.

"This crossed my desk this morning," he said as he held out a PADD to her, "Ambassador Soval is returning to his post after a stint on Vulcan." Kate took the device and opened it with interest, she had no idea what it had to do with her. She looked at the order and noticed the insignia on the paperwork was different than the one she had come to know. "Out of nowhere paperwork stating that you were to be his security detail cropped up," he said simply and shrugged, "The Ambassador lands at 1900."

She jerked her head up and stared at him, the security detail of a delegation of physicians was one thing, but to provide security to an Ambassador was a whole different ball-game. Ambassadors had far more enemies and were often in more danger, there were dozens of people who would want to kill, capture and torture and Ambassador, let alone Ambassador Soval who was perhaps one of the most influential figures currently.

"You have to be joking," she stated sharply. Gardner shook his head and pointed at the PADD, "Nope, see for yourself," he stated. It was then he seemed to remember something, "Oh yeah, I found this in your father's old desk," he said as he tossed something to her. Without flinching she caught the flying object deftly. It was key, a small brass one, and from what she could tell it wasn't used often, it didn't have a serial number of anything on it.

She flipped it over in her palm and looked at the teeth, it was familiar, her father had shown it to her once and said if something were to happen to him to use it. In all honesty, she had forgotten about it. "What's it to?" she asked dumbly, even though Gardner was close to her father there was something about him she didn't like. The Admiral shrugged once again, "No clue." Obviously that secret was safe.

She pocketed it and asked, "Is that all?"

Gardner nodded as he turned his attention to the monitor on his desk and then proceeded to waving her away. Another typical trait she began to put up with, most commanding officers were nice enough to say dismissed, but he waved her away as though she were an irritating child. Kate suppressed a huff as she left his office and headed home. What she needed was in the lockbox.


	3. Return

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: **_Enterprise_**, it is property of Paramount Pictures and it's creators: Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Katharine Forrest and Suran were inspired by characters created by Sensera and Fameanon's Ginie and Sorak. Any parallels between the works with this one were unintentional. **_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Return<strong>

Home is perhaps one of the most unusual words in any language. Unlike most nouns, such as sign or paper, this word has a wide variety of interpretations, which tend to vary depending on the individual. For some, home is an address in which they reside, while others it's a bit more complicated. Home is a symbol of where an individual hails from and where they feel they belong. It is a wonder that regardless of the language the goal is always the same, to find the place where we belong, where out heart resides and the place we live, to call home.

It is this desire to find the place where we belong which spurs us to search to no end for a place to call ours. At least it is one of them.

The star ship was still, and just outside of a port side window was a familiar sight. In the darkness of space waited a planet, a sphere with bright blue oceans that dominated most of it's surface. Clouds seemed to swirl in the planet's atmosphere, wisps of white against the bright blue, hiding the land beneath. There were portions of vivid green and earthy brown visible that has somehow managed to peak out of the clouds.

Standing before the window was a rather tall individual draped in dark green and black robes, with a vine green tunic on underneath. The robes fell over his shoulders like water, flowing to the floor gracefully. Silver hair stood out against the blue and the white of the planet. His olive skin seemed darker than it had been the years ago he had returned to Earth. Five years, he had been gone for five years, and not heard a word from the Admiral's family. He was shocked to learn that he was once again to be sent to Earth after his stint of time on Vulcan, attempting to clean up the mess the Embassy Bombing had made and working to create a stable alliance with the Andorians as well as the Cultural Revolution that took the planet by storm.

The reveal of the true writings of Surak had spurred an awakening, only this one wasn't as violent as the first. Suddenly those who were hiding in the shadows of their culture due to what most had considered an abhorrent act, mind melding, had stepped to the forefront. All of Vulcan was swept in a fever as they attempted to discover just how much they had lost. Surak, their teacher had left them a guide to logic. Suddenly PADDs were seen in the hands of every Vulcan as they read the freshly translated text.

Rather than suppressing emotion, the goal was to understand emotion and there for move past falling pray to them. In reality it taught control and disciplin over their forces. Art, music, literature, and dance cropped up as the Vulcan people used them to display mental disciplines. No longer was playing the lyre something that was frowned upon, it was considered good form. Artists were crafting works reflecting various Vulcan ideals and re-imagining the already trite ways of art. Fabrics took new hues, rich and vivid colors, full of life and meaning as bolt after bolt was dyed. The city had erupted with waves of new ideas.

The culture he had grown in changed rapidly, adapting to this new text. Melding was common; suddenly masters were teaching not only children, but adults how to meld safely. He watched schools incorporated not only logic and science into curriculums but even cultural classes on other planets as well as their own. Languages were spreading as Vulcans scrambled to learn not only Surak, but other cultures. Even though not all were open to such ideas, the majority were pressing forward.

The capital city exploded with new ideas and reforms as Surak's teachings allowed for a greater understanding of the Vulcan Puzzle. Trade increased as the Vulcan people seemed to board ships and venture into space with a new mission, to build alliances and encourage cultural exchange. Wealth began to flood the city as traders from across the galaxy became interested in their wealth once again, as well as their scientific expertise. Although little was allowed to be said about their history and other aspects of their culture, they were sharing Surak and that was certainly a start.

The figure drew a deep breathe, most of his time had been dedicated to remolding the Vulcan government, finding those suitable for posts and even adjusting the practice and use of offices. With the assistance of Minister Kuvak he was able to reconstruct the infrastructure enough in order for him to be sent abroad. As the Minister focused on the Vulcan people, he worked to negotiate treaties with former allies and species they desired to be allies with.

One of them was the Andorians; they had battled over planets, territories, trading policies, space boundaries, governing, operations and the like. Day after day they battled, agreed, investigated, deliberated, and battled again to craft treaties that satisfied both sides. In the end few had been drafted, but those which were, had been considerably large steps -for both species.

Dark brown eyes gazed at the planet, the scars from the blast had vanished, leaving his complexion clear, despite the irritation under his eyes due to a lack of sleep. "Ambassador Soval, we have arrived, there is a shuttle waiting in Bay 5 to take you to the surface," a voice cracked through the comm. Soval turned his attention to the controls on the wall and quickly replied, "Acknowledged." With one final glance he looked back at the planet he was about to return to. He had been the Vulcan Envoy to Earth for 27 years, 7 months, 2 days, 8 hours, 15 minutes and 32 seconds. He had been told by several colleagues that the Vulcan who was acting as the Ambassador for the past five years hadn't made much headway with humans and many of them despised Vulcans thanks in part to his inability to communicate with them affectively.

Soval swiftly left the room, his hands at his sides as he strode purposefully down the golden hallways of the ship toward the shuttle bays. Humans were difficult, he had always seen them as such, and oddly found the trait endearing. For such a young species they had come a long way. In general most humans disliked Vulcans, he could still remember the reports of individuals calling them too cold and unfeeling to truly understand humanity.

Naturally, his people had interpolated it as naivety as they blamed the Vulcans for holding them back and even being too uninterested in humanity. Logically, they would have never sent a Vulcan to Earth if they were uninterested and in reality, Earth was perhaps one of the few worlds that his people saw a potential ally in. Humanity had made leaps in such short periods of time he swore that someone had lit a fire under them.

After passing through several decks the Ambassador arrived at Bay 5 to see his shuttle waiting, Suran stood at attention, his hands folded before him and his dark eyes never leaving Soval. Suran had been his aid for nearly 15 years, and had quickly become one of the few individuals he trusted. "Osu," greeted Suran with a slight nod. Soval looked at the man before him, he was dressed in the same robes as the first time they had arrived on Earth. It was strange how things seemed to be repeating. Only this time he wasn't truly a stranger.

The pair slipped into the shuttle, Suran quickly held out a PADD to him, "This arrived for you this morning," he stated. Soval quickly turned it on, "I'm not even on the planet yet, and already they are sending data on trade and several inquires into our stance on a variety of issues," he stated. He scrolled through the documents quickly, he had a feeling most of them would appear and had heard rumor on Vulcan that since Earth was facing more xenophobia that they would be working to try and get humanity and other species to interact more.

Soval paused when he came across a document, "Suran, why is Starfleet assigning a body guard to us?" he asked. Star Fleet traditionally dealt with exploration, it had little to do with the security of Envoys or the Consulate Compounds. Suran lifted a brow, "I was unaware we were assigned one," he replied. Brown eyes fell on the PADD before him, staring back at him was an order, it looked old, since it was lacking an array of digits at the top of it and the emblem wasn't the same.

"We have permission to leave the compartment," said the pilot to the pair. Soval looked up at the young man as he hit several switches on the flight controls. "Bay doors opening," he stated and Soval knew he was speaking with the bridge. Soval listened to the sound of the thrusters light and the signature whine of the doors opening. The shuttle was released from the bay and the pilot made easy work of flying down to earth, the approach was smooth and flawless.

Pilots were perhaps one of the most under spoken members of any crew, a good helmsman was always hard to find.

The shuttle slipped through the atmosphere with grace, and Soval turned his attention once more to the PADD, the name of the individual who had issued the order was missing, it was as though the final page was missing entirely, which was unusual. Typically Star Fleet would bombard him with every scrap of material they could, and yet on something so integral they had left out a page of the file.

The blue sky flew by as the shining city of San Francisco approached, and the signature orange color of the Golden Gate Bridge appeared on the horizon. He was going to meet this officer as soon as he arrived at the Consulate and decided that he would dismiss them then. He had no desire to have a human around the Consulate especially with the tension between aliens and humans.

The shuttle touched down gently, he was back on Earth and part of him wondered just how much Humanity had managed to change in such a short period once again. The doors of the shuttle lifted as he stepped out onto the platform, only to come face to face with several individuals dressed in camouflage, carrying weapons. Suran followed him as they stood watching this group cautiously. He wasn't typically supplied with a security team that appeared to be armed to the teeth.

"Ambassador Soval, I'm Corporal Hayes. I will be part of your escort team. Major Forrest will meet us at the Consulate," stated a young man with large brown eyes and red hair. Soval nodded curtly and followed the team which seemed to surround him and Suran. It was unusual to have this level of security on Earth, typically he was received by one or two guards not a full team of what he suspected to be MACCOs. The tension in the air was high as he looked at the jet black convoy, it was far more secure than the ones he had been accustomed to riding in.

With ease he was slipping into a flitter and they were slipping away from San Francisco to Sausalito. Traffic was light, a great deal lighter than it had been when he first arrived on Earth. The flitter slipped through the nearly empty streets and the Ambassador looked over at city, it was unusual to see so few out. His eyes narrowed as he gazed out the window, he hadn't seen the city like this since the return of Admiral Forrest.

In reality it should have been buzzing since Enterprise had just been sent back to space, and was going to travel even further than before, under the influence of Captain Archer. Naturally, he had been invited to attend, but declined since he was dealing with the prospect of forging an economic alliance with another planet. The streets flew by in a rush, he passed the large structure of Starfleet Academy's second location only for his eyes to widen at the sight before him.

The once crisp courtyard he had seen years ago was filled with protestors. Humans bearing signs shouting angrily about the return of Ambassadors from other planets. As the convoy passed he noticed them turn their attention to him and stared in shock as they began shouting at him. These were not the people of Earth he knew. Rage burned deep in their eyes and their skin was tinged bright red, lips drawn back as shouts were directed at him. The sound of eggs smashing into the side of the flitter echoed. It seemed to reverberate in the small space even greater than their elevated voices. He could practically feel the fury radiate off them, it was intense and nearly took his breath away. "SHIT! They were supposed to have this section cleared," seethed Corporal Hayes who was quick to get out his communicator and began shouting at the security teams on the campus. "This is Team Alpha Bravo Zulu, We need back up outside the Entrance to the South Courtyard!" shouted the Corporal over the chaos outside the convoy.

The Ambassador watched impassively as the protestors seemed to swarm the convoy, his gazed shifted to Suran who had an eyebrow quirked, neither of them had heard of such violence on Earth recently. The crowd seemed to jump into the street and the pilot was forced to stop, "Lock it down," hissed Hayes, "This is team Alpha Bravo Zulu, responsible for transporting the Vulcan Ambassador, we need assistance in the Southern Courtyard!" There wasn't a response and the Ambassador watched as the Corporal was about to throw his communicator when another voice cracked through it, a stern and unwavering one.

"Corporal Hayes, I suggest you get the convoy moving," commanded a unyielding voice. The Corporal turned white as he looked at the communicator, his eyes then flashed to the square, he looked rapidly for something. Soval was oddly intrigued by this, "We can't, we are being blocked by protestors," he stated. Now Soval realized that there was little that could be done. Even though the logical thing would be to attempt a negotiation, from how hostile these people had become, doing such a thing was going to be impossible.

His eyes fell on Hayes, who was handling the situation rather well, "Corporal, I'm going to detonate a stun charge. This will incapacitate them for 49 seconds. Once I do this you are going to move that convoy, or I'll move it for you," growled the voice, "Our objective is to get the Ambassador and his delegation to the Consulate, not to make him a martyr." Hayes seemed even more confused, as did the rest of the MACCOs, apparently whoever was on the other end wasn't supposed to be with them. "Yes, ma'am," Hayes replied quickly and looked to the pilot. "Switch to long range thrusters, and be prepared," he commanded.

Soval's brown eyes shifted over the crowd and he watched as the protestors collapsed, the stun rapidly reducing them to a pile. Standing at the supposed epicenter was a figure dressed in a MACO uniform straddling a Cobalt Blue motorcycle. "PUNCH IT!" shouted Hayes, "Let's get to the bridge!" The flitter sped up even faster and rapidly broke from the crowd. The Vulcan Ambassador was silent as he closed his eyes; those weren't the people of earth he knew. Humans were emotional, and could be blinded by rage, but never before had he seen such a display of violence from the Human race so vividly before.

His eyes fell out the window and he noticed the MACO trailing them, the bright Cobalt motorcycle weaving expertly through the crowd as its owner navigated it with ease. Apparently the traffic over the bridge hadn't changed, as he watched the motorcyclist trail them, he was impressed that such a contraption could keep up with the flitter, it clearly had been modified to do so.

"Ambassador?" asked the Corporal, there was a hint of concern in his voice. Soval was disturbed by the event which had transpired and decided to meditate upon it. Now, however, was the time to concentrate on the task at hand, reaching the Consulate and meeting this new security guard. His gaze shifted to Corporal Hayes, "When did such an uproar begin?" he asked.

The Corporal was silent, "Why were we not informed of such tensions? What is Starfleet going to do?" Soval questioned, he wasn't concerned for his safety as much as his staff. If they were threatened he wouldn't hesitate to send them back to Vulcan. Hayes drew a deep breath and replied, "After the Xindi, only now it has been amplified. We are unsure of why or who has caused this. Starfleet is investigating." Oddly Soval began to feel as though he were once again, facing V'Las' regime and his stranglehold he had on Vulcan. The amount of damage, which had been inflicted by the Vulcan made the clean up even harder.

He had battled individuals from all beliefs, those who were more free thinking to the traditional factions, only to be faced with more divisions. Eventually, he had asked Kuvak for aid as they began grooming T'Pau to take the position of Minister.

The crisp waters of the bay chopped away below them, the sky was alight with hues of pink and gold, with simmering oranges, causing the bridge to glow. The Ambassador's gaze shifted out the window as he watched the sky set aflame by the setting sun. The Terran sky was almost always a transparent blue, and yet in the end of the day it could achieve such a hue. Vulcan's red skies, while warm and familiar couldn't seem to match the overwhelming beauty of a Terran sunset, not that he would tell anyone such a thing. It only soothed part of his nerves, and made him wonder how a people with such a beautiful planet, and so much water, could possibly become so violent.

"Who is following us?" asked Suran, shaking the Ambassador from his internal musings. He arched a brow at Suran's question, it was unlike him to speak out. One of the officers answered with ease, "You're personal security guard, must have been picking up info on this mission." To this the Ambassador quirked a brow, his guard was trailing them, and on a motorcycle, he wasn't certain of how to interoperate such a turn in events. He had believed that the individual would be meeting him at the Consulate and not working as part of the detail.

The Officer seemed to pick up on his confusion and added, "The major was only supposed to meet us, but I'm happy she was in the square, I will see why the hell the guards weren't at their stations later." Soval nodded numbly, they had been given a Major, which was certainly higher ranked by the Corporal.

The rest of the ride was silent as he looked over the documents sent to him. It wasn't until the flitter had slowed that he realized they had reached their destination. The Consulate towered over a majority of the other buildings in the area, its walls serving as a massive barrier keeping Humans out and providing sanctuary to Vulcans. The door opened as the security team stepped out, all of them falling into a line as Suran slipped out before him.

Soval was the last to step out and noticed a young woman with long golden blonde hair standing at attention before the group. Her bright Cobalt motorcycle was propped up behind her and the black helmet she had been wearing, was resting on its handlebars. She was dressed in a standard MACO uniform and it was then he noted that the black jacket she had been wearing, was also on the bike. It was a black leather one, with the Starfleet logo on the back.

The line of guards had saluted her and she looked at them. Her blue eyes were very familiar, it was odd, they reminded him of the endless blue skies of earth. Her blonde hair was pulled back tightly behind her head in a twist of sorts which was restrained by several pins, and she stood with the perfect posture of a soldier. She was dressed like the rest of the group but had several insignia stating her rank. "Ambassador Soval," she said simply as she held up the _Ta'al_, "We are honored by your service. Welcome back to Earth, sir."

Dark eyes fell on the young woman, his brows lifted, he hadn't expected her to greet him in such a formal way, or use their salute. She held out an envelope and PADD to him, "My orders," she stated. Soval was even more confused, paper wasn't something that was used anymore. Typically he was handed PADDs. His fingers slipped over the paper, it was thick and textured against his fingers. He could tell it was old due to the color, at one point it must have been white, it now was ivory and the ink had faded a little. His eyes fell on his name, penned in a hand that was also familiar.

He swiftly opened the envelope and looked at the Major, "Corporal, your team is dismissed, I will take over from here," she instructed. It was then he began scrolling through the pad, his fingers still clutching the envelope. Soval glanced at the envelope and noticed it was addressed to him in handwriting which he didn't recognize; he determined then that he would open it once he finished with the digital document. His eyes sifted over the document before noticing the final page was once again missing. With a great deal of irritation he opened the envelope and unfolded the paper.

Tucked before the full order was a note, which he began reading in an attempt to understand just what was occurring, only to feel as though he had been punched. He did know the handwriting, and he also knew the young woman before him. He fought to suppress a tidal wave of emotions which was about to slam into his carefully constructed barriers, sadness, anger and agony.

In his hands was the final order his late friend had ever issued, Admiral Forrest had assigned his own daughter to guard him. The order was permanent and there was no way he could battle it. The man, who had given his life to protect his, had assigned his daughter to the same fate. The same young woman he had met on the stairs of Star Fleet Head Quarters and watched tears roll down her cheeks. The shattered little girl he wanted to wrap his arms around and hold as she fell to pieces before him.

Gone was that child, before him stood a hardened soldier, her eyes latched on him observing him. She smelled of Kevlar, gunpowder and oil, nothing like the girl he met. Her hands were calloused from the life of a soldier. She had more than proved this in the square when she pulled a stun charge and essentially incapacitated the entire square before zipping after them. Her tone was harsh and cold, it was as though all the warmth that had once been inside her had been drained. All that was left was a well trained soldier.

"You are dismissed Major Forrest, while your service honors me, it isn't required," he stated harshly, his voice was stern and left no room for argument. There was silence in the courtyard; the rest of her team had yet to leave. "Ambassador this is not negotiable, these are my orders. I am to protect you and your delegation for as long as I am able to," she stated sternly, "These are my orders, they were my father's final orders. I'm not accustomed to shirking my duties, and neither are you."

Soval was taken aback, not even women on Vulcan were this direct, "I will honor his memory by executing them to the best of my ability," she stated, "Only if I am unable to fulfill my duty will I allow you to dismiss me." She stood resolutely, her stance never wavering, despite his harsh gaze on the woman before him.

A soldier, she was a soldier, and clearly like her father had a sense of honor and loyalty that many lacked. She would have made her father proud, that much was certain. She was very much like him, especially with the snap in her tone, he could still remember it to this day. He looked at Suran who was watching the exchange with interest. She was determined to fulfill her father's wish, he would just have to figure out a way to make her quit.

"Very well, Suran will give you my itinerary," he stated as he looked to his aid briefly, "If you fail to meet my expectations or fail in your duties, know that I will not hesitate to dismiss you on the spot. Is that clear?" he asked. Major Forrest nodded and replied stiffly, "Yes, sir."

In that moment, he felt as though he were sentencing her to death. Once more is logic was rattled, for yet another time he felt himself slipping into the depths of emotion. Oddly the memory of her father's death combined with his final order disturbed him, and sadness washed over him.

He half expected her to walk away, only for a smirk to curve her lips and a gleam of confidence to appear in her eye, "I accept your conditions, and see this as a challenge," she stated.

He swiftly stepped past her and strode into the Consulate; the warm air seemed to chase away the chill that had settled in his body after reading the order. He could hear her behind him and tell she was adamant on her decision, "You have accommodations in the Consulate?" he inquired, already knowing the answer but desiring to confirm that things were in place.

Major Forrest responded swiftly, "Yes, sir." Suran looked at him and whispered in Vulcan, _"Is there anything I may do?"_ Soval continued to walk toward his office, he had to deliver a message to the Minister and then would retire for the evening, "_No, do not get used to her presence I intend to break her_," he responded.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched Suran turn to his desk and take a seat, Major Forrest took her post outside his door as he entered his office. It wasn't until the door was closed did he feel grief ebb at his carefully constructed barriers. He locked the door and quietly made his way to his desk.

It didn't take long to complete the report to the Minister, after all he was simply stating he had arrived and brining up the documents he had read. Most of it was on taxation, trade and a request for an increase in medical knowledge as well as technological consultation. His dictation stopped when he reached the topic of Major Forrest. Suddenly the letter his late friend wrote weighted a ton in his inner pocket of his robes.

Deftly he fished it out and looked at the envelope, it had never been opened until that moment in the courtyard, and not even the Admiral's daughter knew its contents. His dark eyes drifted back to the monitor; before he decided to leave the identity of the guard out of the message and simply state that he had been given a bodyguard by Starfleet.

Once the message was on its way he slipped the paper out of its envelope. Letters were a very personal thing on Earth, they symbolized trust and tradition, and they were also convenient because in an era of technology it was nearly impossible to obtain its contents without reading it. In a sense it flew under the radar, as many would say, and was more secure than a digital message. He unfolded the letter, the paper was rather thin and he could see the Admiral's lose script that he had truly only seen on Christmas Cards – which to this day he still didn't understand why the Admiral sent them knowing Christmas wasn't a holiday he celebrated.

_Soval,_

_If you have received this note, then I have died and you're just met my youngest daughter, Genevieve Forrest. She's 28 years old, come this June, a grown up young woman compared to the little girl you met years ago at that Christmas Party. She's a handful, believe me when I tell you she's going to drive you insane –probably more than I did- but will always protect you. I know you are wondering how I know how old she will be when you get this, I'm afraid that is a bit more disturbing._

_I don't believe I will be alive much longer and it takes five years to complete MACO training. If she is anything like me, she will have done that. For it is only by completing her training and falling under the command of my replacement that she has retrieved this letter from its hiding place._

_Things aren't as they seem Soval. There are those who wish for us to fail. Those who desire Earth to remain absent from the Galactic community and would love nothing more than to watch all our work burn. _

_If I didn't have a chance to tell you then you are now learning this. I'm sorry for being unable to tell you in person, but Earth is not safe. In fact it's the opposite, you are in danger. _

_For the past few years there has been a group rising out of the shadows calling for blood purity, very similar to the Nazi party from World War 2, only far more extreme. I was working on an investigation into the possibility that the Ambassadors would be in direct danger on earth and if they had managed to infiltrate Starfleet. _

_We know very little about them, considering each of the individuals we caught vanished and reappeared dead several days later. Those we had identified didn't even exist in data terms; there wasn't a scrap of information on them. Phantoms in the digital age, I didn't think it was possible. _

_The most we could get out of them, was their message, humanity over all. If this isn't taken care of not only will the Federation of Planets never occur, but it could become something even more dangerous. They might start attempting to purge other species, not only on Earth but from the Galaxy and perhaps even further. They aren't opposed to violence and have no interest in diplomatic solutions. They __will__ kill you if they get the chance._

_Be careful, and trust Kate. Trust her instincts and skills. She will be one of the best officers in her year. _

_**Don't send her away. **_

_She's the only one I can trust with this assignment. You will always be one of my closest friends, and perhaps family, I don't want to see you harmed. Kate will probably be the only member of my family who will greet you with open arms. _

_When the time comes, and if you must leave Earth, I have one request: take her with you. If she is found to be a supporter of you and if things grow out of control, she will be killed. If, and when that day comes, not only will she be your only protector. My little girl will protect you to all her ability, but I also want you to protect her. You're the only one I can trust and the only one with the ability to ensure that when the time comes she will be safe._

_I assigned her to you so you can protect one another, and as well as I know her, I know you. Soval you are a wonderful man and I know you will dislike the notion of my assigning my kin to protect you. I also know that if there is any way for her to be safe in the storm that's brewing, you will be her only protection._

_I pray my fears never become reality, in many ways I pray you never receive this letter and that it will stay in the footlocker in my basement. However, if my daughter is as good to her word -as I raised her to be- chances are, you have._

_I hope that at the end of all this you find happiness, even if it is a small swatch of it. I know Vulcans don't embrace such emotions, but for me Soval, find the one thing that gives your life meaning. The one thing you could never live without. _

_You have been alone far too long, you deserve happiness. It has been an honor knowing and working with you, and please remember despite our constant fights, you will always be my best friend._

_Peace and Long Life,_

_Max Forrest _

Soval stared at the letter; he could tell Max had taken a great deal of time to write it. It was informal, blunt and yet warm, despite the circumstance. He was a friend, not only did Max consider him a friend but he was the Admiral's best friend. After a moment he placed the letter on the desk and shifted his gaze to the window, the sun had set and night had taken over. After a moment of hesitation he folded the letter and opened a drawer in his desk. Major Forrest would be allowed to read it later, he wanted her to settle in, and in many ways didn't want her to know why his father had assigned her to him.

Sitting in the bottom drawer was a silver tin that Max had given him, it had once been filled with different Earth teas as a welcoming gift. He slowly opened the tin and slipped the letter inside, amongst the stack of cards and letters from the Admiral and a few photos that had been taken along the way. It was unusual for a Vulcan to be sentimental, but after some thought and in the event of the Admiral's death, he decided long ago he would make sure he kept them all to give his daughter when he saw the time as right.

He had a feeling she never saw the professional side of him, or their correspondence. It was true that they had told one another of their personal lives and in many ways they were the first example of a cross-species friendship.

He closed the silver tin and slipped it back into his desk, before locking the drawer. He would give her the entire tin later; she wasn't ready for it now. As much as he disliked the idea of her being his guard and sacrificing herself for him, he couldn't deny Max his final wish.

It was odd, never before had he contemplated. that the one who was supposed to protect his life. could also be protected. Not once did the letter mention his wife or other children, it was only about the Major. The second part of the Admiral's final wish baffled him, he couldn't understand why Max wanted him to be happy. He didn't think himself to be that miserable, lonely… perhaps but unhappy? No… at least he didn't think he was… Soval huffed emotions were honestly too complicated and his were raging out of control.

In the few hours he had been on earth he had felt as though he had been shoved through every barrier he had ever constructed, breaking it to the ground before him. Seeing Kate once again, walking into the consulate and reading a note from a man he had considered a very close friend had reduced them to rubble before him. He needed to meditate.

~vOv~

Kate stood outside the Ambassador's office, for years she worked toward her father's dreams. Not only did she complete MACO training but she had gotten a degree from Berkeley in Economics and Politics, which was what she had intended from the beginning, yet, now she stood stationed outside the Vulcan Ambassador's door. She wanted to enter the political arena only for her to be assigned to guard the Ambassador, not that she didn't respect it. Her father had his reasons, and she would honor his wishes. After all it was her father who had saved the Ambassador the first time and to even have the opportunity was an honor to do what her father had.

Her mind wandered back to the lock-box, there had been two things in it, just two. One of them was a note to her, it had been penned hastily, as though he were pressed for time and needed to hide the second article. It was simple, _"Protect Ambassador Soval. Your assignment to him is permanent, I know you will dislike it, but trust me it is necessary. I love you, and please know I will always watch over you, no matter how far I am, I will always love you."_

At first she found the idea irrational, until she looked at the news and realized just how irrationally people were acting and realized perhaps her father wasn't completely insane. Especially, after the incident in the square that afternoon, it wasn't the first incident and she had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. Over the past 72 hours, mankind seemed more restless and the security around the alien delegated was of an even greater concern.

He had his reasons, and whatever they had been it had driven him to assign his own flesh and blood to protecting the one Vulcan that a majority of humanity had grown to despise.

Suran was silent, which she had expected nothing less from the aid, he was a Vulcan after all. The Ambassador looked irritated as he skimmed the letter and she could tell he wasn't pleased. In fact, whatever the letter had said she was certain the man would have shredded if it weren't for the fact she was standing there. Even his ultimatum hurt her, it was as though he despised her existence, "He hates me," she muttered.

"He doesn't, Major. Hate is an emotion and we have no such use for those things," stated Suran, startling her from her inner monologue. Blue eyes shifted from the wall before her to the aid. Suran had dark hair with streaks of silver in it, the only hint at his true age. His complexion was clear and not a scar was seen. His brown eyes were on her, they were lighter than Soval's and seemed more expressive. "Osu would never allow himself to indulge in such an emotion. Are you related to the late Admiral?" he asked after a moment.

She nodded and replied, "He was my father."

Suran folded his hands before him and responded, "I grieve with thee, he was a wonderful man, and perhaps one of the greatest I had the opportunity to meet." She nodded and watched as the aid slowly shifted in his seat, "I received a copy of your orders, not only are you here on the Campus but you are rooming in the privet compound, across from the Ambassador," he stated as he looked up at her.

She nodded and replied, "I didn't like the idea of rushing across the Embassy to reach him. A guard should be prepared to protect her charge at all times." Suran nodded as he closed the details. "He doesn't believe you will survive, in fact he has made it a goal to insure you don't. Are you sure you want to be so close to him? It will only make it easier," Suran stated.

Kate nodded firmly, "Yes, it will take more than that to break me." Suran sighed as he began to finish the arrangements, she could tell he wasn't going to argue but wasn't enthusiastic about this idea either. In all honesty, she didn't think about him attempting to break her but had a feeling that the Vulcan wasn't going to make her life easy.

She shifted her gaze to Suran and asked curiously, "Why are you helping me?" The aid blinked as he looked at her and replied sincerely, "Because a long time ago Osu attempted to do the same with me."


	4. Irritation and Irrational Behavior

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: **_Enterprise_**, it is property of Paramount Pictures and it's creators: Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Katharine Forrest and Suran were inspired by characters created by **_Sensera_** and Fameanon's **_Ginie_** and Sorak. Any parallels between the works with this one were unintentional. **_

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Irritation and Irrational Behavior<strong>

There is something about the rain; the way it taps on the glass and bounds off the pavement, for every surface she strikes becomes clean, cleansed in an unusual way. The pavement which was once covered in dirt and garbage is washed clean, absolved of all sins which may have fallen upon it's surface, tainting it. It fell down the glass, leaving streams in its wake before hitting the ground. The clean scent it leaves in it's wake, forcing the stench of garbage and oil away.

The sound of shoes hitting the pavement and kicking up water echoed in the air as the distinct flap of an umbrella being opened followed it. Keen blue eyes looked out over the street's searching for any detail which may be interoperated as dangerous. Tensions had been high and somehow, even in the barren street, which was now occupied by solely an Ambassadorial Convoy seemed to display such a note. It was as though the world had been tossed into the grips of chaos and tensions were escalating rapidly.

Slipping out of the black convoy were three robed figured, their dark brown robes seemed nearly black in the dim lights of the late afternoon. They hardly made a sound as the crossed the pavements, shielded from the rain by the massive umbrellas. It was as though the robes were part of the water which had fallen from the heavens above, flowing slightly, and cascading over the figures. The massive hoods provided anonymity and an air of mystery as the walked through the rain.

As they walked entered the lobby of the consulate, their shadow seemed to follow, always just a few steps behind the robed figure in the center, who's head was slightly bent. Her blonde hair was slightly damp and a loose strand stuck to the side of her face. She was dressed in black from head to foot, her boots clicking against the floor as she moved. Her blonde hair was pinned behind her head in a twist. She looked around the lobby keenly before mumbling, "Any activity?"

She turned her attention once more to the three robed figures which were still crossing the foyer. "No, ground level is secure," replied a clipped voice on the other end of the communicator. "Rodger, Forrest out," she mumbled as she continued to shadow the three Vulcans. The four slipped into a silver turbo lift and in seconds it was rocketing upward toward the top floor. She maintained her position in front of the delegation, there was a slight mumbling of Vulcan beside her, she could hear the hushed tones of the Vulcan delegation.

Her hands rested at her sides, as she stood up straight, her posture was ideal for a soldier, and oddly every nerve in her body was tingling. Something about this entire venture felt off, it wasn't just the fact that the Andorian's had requested meeting in such a place, but the fact that they were instructed to leave all guards on the ground. She was playing the roll as an intrigued xenolinguist with an interest in learning how negotiations occurred. This meant she wasn't armed with her usual phaser, but with a smaller and more compact version as well as a knife.

Despite her constant insistence on determining another meeting place. The argument had lasted several hours with the Head of Security, Kruss. The young Vulcan was adamant that the entire operation was handled his way. He had decided that she was incapable of knowing any protocol for security and bombarded her with books; he had demanded that she read them and know them as though they were fundamental laws.

Naturally, she had complied and read the protocols from cover to cover. She was eerily reminded of her years at Berkley, those long and grueling hours in the early morning pouring over page after page of notes in economics as well as trade laws and cultural differences, fueled by coffee and Redbull. She had read the manuals, all 3,700 pages of them, in a total of three days. Each day she worked, and at night she would read. Oddly, it was in moments like those she was thankful for her photographic memory.

Kruss had taken it upon himself to test her. She had ended up taking his exam five times.

The first time she had sat at his desk, in one of his comfortable chairs leaning against his immaculate glass desk. Not a single personal object was scene and every single object had it's place and was in it. Part of her wondered if he was OCD. She had completed it in half an hour and wrote in detail how specific protocols were to be executed. Kruss had swept past his desk to collect the PADD, he didn't even look in her direction as he collected it. Kate simply shrugged and left his office, in search of Suran so that she would be able to complete what ever task the Ambassador had for her. Hours later he appeared before her table at lunch, PADD clutched in his hands with eyes narrowed. He was convinced she cheated and had her take the exam again.

The second time, he sat her in front of Suran who was working on a few things for the Ambassador. She could still remember his arched brow as she was placed before him and Kruss had stated she was to not be left alone and was only allowed the data pad, with no internet connection, and Suran was not to aid her. Suran nodded but graced Kruss with a pair of arched brows, apparently this wasn't normal and she had a feeling Suran wasn't pleased with Kruss' actions. Kate completed this slightly more difficult version of the exam in 45 minutes; he had decided to make it a little longer. Suran had been silent the entire time, his fingers moving over his PADD but she could tell from his movements that he wasn't too amused with how her time was being utilized.

Kruss returned looking emotionless, however, she could tell from his stance that he was irate, especially the way he was holding the tablet. He was convinced that Suran had aided her and thus decided that she would take the exam in the company of T'Vok, who looked less than amused as the human was seating across from her. Immediately T'Vok's nose wrinkled and Kate apologized, she had heard Vulcan women had a very sensitive sense of smell and was now given proof. She was looking over a series of documents and later Kate learned that she was in charge of scientific collaboration between Vulcan and Starfleet. While the Ambassador had the final say, her job was to report to him just how far they had managed to venture into space and their technological advancements. One of their biggest complains was a combination between Archer and a man named Stark, both of them caused trouble.

Kate completed the third edition of the exam in an hour, since he had given her a longer one and the essay was far more complex. As usual it was handed to Kruss, who was standing at the exit with a waiting palm, she bid him farewell and rushed off to speak with Suran to collect the Ambassador's itinerary.

The very next morning she was practically intercepted by Kruss, he was hot on her heels insisting that she take the exam, but this time with a physical part. She didn't even get a chance to tell the Ambassador who simply arched a brow as she was escorted to a training room to take the physical part, she was faced with another Vulcan. Not that she considered it fair, considering they were three times her strength, but she fought hard, resulting in oddly a draw. She learned later that the Vulcan was reluctant to spar and saw it as illogical. He was more concerned with her ability to assess a situation and act accordingly than attempting to maim him. Not that this action wasn't important, but she was a MACO which meant she was highly trained and it would be impractical for her to be assigned to the Consulate if she wasn't the best.

Once this was complete she was asked to sit and take version four of Kruss exam. Part of her wondered just when he had the time to make these exams; they were getting longer and more intricate. Kate completed this exam in an hour and a half, with a complete and detailed protocol of what she was to do if the Consulate was to come under attack what she was required to do. Kate could remember how ridiculous these questions were becoming and she quickly signed the bottom, once again T'Vok was her proctor.

Just outside the room, waiting once more with brown eyes filled with curiosity, and a spark of what she swore was malicious intent, was Kruss. As par usual she placed the PADD in his waiting palm. She then lazily saluted him with two fingers and spun on her heel before sashaying down the hallway. There was no point in getting irate with the Vulcan, he wasn't going to change.

It was the final and fifth edition of the test Kruss was her proctor, Kate spent the day firing a phaser, hand to hand combat with four Vulcans and finally the magical fifth edition of the exam. She was honestly irritated with the amount of time she was wasting taking the longer and more elaborate tests. So this time she took the PADD and while standing in front of Soval and Kruss wrote two words, "React Accordingly," before handing him the PADD.

The Head of Security was staring at her as though she had lost it, as she saluted him lazily with two fingers and slipped her hands into her pockets before sashaying down the hallway to see Suran.

Kruss turned to the Ambassador immediately; she could still remember how the silver haired Vulcan stared at Kruss as though he had officially lost it, his eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair, resulting in Kruss launching into a rapid explanation in Vulcan. Kruss had deemed it necessary, while Soval considered it a waste of time and stated Kate was ready to work as his guard.

Of course she could remember just about anything she laid eyes on, which was how she had learned Vulcan and managed to ace each and every exam. However, it wasn't this which had made her a Major.

Kate was pulled out of her musings when the lift stopped. The doors slid open and she stepped out quickly, scanning the area, searching for anyone who would be considered a threat. Once satisfied she moved aside to allow the Vulcans passage. It was then a pair of Andorian's stepped out with their Ambassador close behind. His blue skin stood out starkly against the bright golden walls of the hotel's décor. "Always on time," mused the Andorian as the three Vulcan's lowered their hoods. Ambassador Soval stood in the center of the group with Suran on his left and T'Vok on his right. "Naturally, shall we proceed," as always this wasn't a request it was a demand. The Andorian Ambassador nodded before he began to walk beside Soval. Kate quickly fell in step behind him, and she looked over to see and Andronia looking her over. His eyes glided over her form hungrily and mentally she rolled his eyes.

"Who is the human?" asked the Ambassador suddenly causing Soval to look at her and reply simply, "Major Forrest, she is my body guard, assigned by Starfleet. I am aware the papers say that she is a student studying linguistics, Starfleet decided on this." Kate stared at the profile of the silver haired Vulcan, she knew Vulcan's didn't lie but she honestly didn't think he would tell the Andorians. The blue skinned Ambassador laughed and looked at her before pointing his chin at the man at her side. "That's Commander Shran, I'm certain you two are acquainted Ambassador, you know he's not here for the purpose of learning negotiations, he's security. I had heard rumor you had been given extra security but didn't believe it until now," he mused.

Ambassador Soval continued his path forward, his hands folded behind him as he practically glided across the floor. "It was fascinating," he remarked before taking a seat at the table in the middle of the room, one half the room was filled with Andorians while the other half consisted of three Vulcans and herself. The Andorians quickly gestured to be seated, which Kate watched the Vulcan delegates do so with an air of elegance she was clearly not graced with.

The Andorian Ambassador looked at Soval as he picked up a PADD, "Now then, why have your people decided to discontinue trade with us?" he asked, not even bothering to open with small chat. Kate knew Soval wasn't one for small chat but had no idea that most aliens weren't, either that or they simply knew what to expect from the Vulcan. Soval folded his hands before him on the table and replied, "You're people have been firing on Merchant convoys, in five months, eight days, four hours and fifty-three minutes, you're armada is responsible for destroying fourteen Class 6 Merchant ships, and three Class 4s," his tone was indifferent despite the issue they were discussing, "We consider it illogical to continue trade if you are no longer interested and continue to waste our resources."

The Andorian Ambassador's eyes narrowed and Kate could tell this was going to be a fire fight. Soval opened a file on his PADD and continued, "You're also responsible for damaging another twenty ships, and harassing Merchant parties on the following…" before Soval had a chance to finish the Andorian Ambassador seemed to pale and held a hand up. Immediately resulting another arched eyebrow from the Ambassador, "These acts of hostility will be interoperated as an act of war, and many have already questioned your desire to trade with us," he stated.

That was the greatest amount she had heard Soval speak and immediately knew she had the Andorian boxed in, "Your Merchant ships are armed," he defended, "We do not entirely trust them, especially with the tension between us." Soval's stylus swept over the pad and rebutted, "I don't know a single Class 6 armed with anything over a basic blaster, especially since many of them aren't outfitted for longer distances." Kate was silent, they were shooting on Merchant Ships which were unarmed, it wasn't unusual for them to have basic weapons thanks to pirates and the Ferengi who seemed to enterprise off of stealing from others.

The Andorian growled and replied harshly, "You are accusing us of murder, we detected advanced weapons on those ships." Soval brought up the schematics and flipped it around, "What advanced weapons?" he asked as he pulled up a larger image, allowing the Ambassador to peruse the Class 6 ships. The Ambassador glared at Soval and replied, "We detected advanced weapons. I have the scans." Soval held his hand out for the PADD and collected it with ease as he looked at the readings.

Sovals tanned fingers swept over the screen as he curiously looked at the readings. Kate could tell from the silence that something was wrong, "Your sensors are malfunctioning, the only ones with advanced weapons are Class 4 ships, which had been sent to you months ahead of time with a complete list of all weapons, as the negotiations stipulated," he stated sternly. Something was wrong and she watched as the Andorians began reaching for their hips. Kate glared at them and instinctively settled her hand near her phaser.

~vOv~

Dark eyes stared at the data before him on the PADD. The readings off of the Merchant ships were either very wrong, or something was occurring that violated the already delicate treaty he had drafted with the Andorians. Since V'Las had been dismissed, he didn't believe that there were any Vulcan's who were willing to go against the ruling of the new Government put in place, especially since the Vulcan people had been actively contributing to it. Soval swept his stylus over the data, the engine signature was identical to a Vulcan Merchant ship for that particular class.

All of the evidence was before him, however, after what had occurred with V'Las he learned to trust no one. It was difficult but the reality of it was that until he had rid Vulcan of V'Las adamant followers, he would be able to forge a stronger alliance. There was a moment where he questioned if it was an external force resulting in these readings, but determined the probability of such an occurrence was too small to actually matter.

Soval placed the PADD on the table, "It doesn't appear that way according to these readings," snapped the Andorian Ambassador. He felt a wave of irritation sweep through the room, he didn't even have to touch them to feel it. "I understand, and we will investigate this, however, it doesn't excuse the fact that you have been firing on our ships which are covered by the treaty as well as placing a higher tariff on those goods which do reach you than we agreed," Soval stated.

There was silence in the room, once again he had caught them. "The tariffs were supported by our people, you desired to market goods without them," stated the Andorian stiffly. Soval glared at them, "Yes, however, it was agreed that both planets that a general but low tariff was to be placed on each others goods, to encourage trade but not damage economic structure," he stated. This alone effectively leveled them. However, Soval wanted to ensure that they ran back to their government in defeat. It was only by completely defeating them that he would be able to move forward with policy. He needed time to investigate the readings, and possibly determine if somehow his stipulations for the negotiations weren't being followed.

The Vulcan Ambassador glanced over to Suran who was typing away on his PADD, it was clear that he was beginning his investigation into the unusual readings. "Furthermore, it has come to our attention that the Andorians have been illegally setting up surveillance outposts in the Delta Quadrant. We have already dismantled all of our outposts," he stated, "Several reports have crossed my desk stating that you have been setting up an illegal research station on one of the moons of Turin IV." The Ambassador stiffened and Soval looked the man in the eye, he had him, "We would be more than happy to create a joint research group, however the region in which you have been settling is known for having a great deal of Dilithium Crystals approximately 3,000 meters bellow the surface."

Soval watched at the Andorians began whispering rapidly, his sensitive ears picking up every word of the brutish language. "It is illegal to mine on a moon which has already been considered territory of another, especially a Vulcan territory, without the proper information," he stated, knowing they understood his every word. The Andorian Ambassador whispered something to Shran and then stood abruptly, "We conclude this session," before briskly walking out of the room, their boots storming across the floor violently.

T'Vok quirked a brow and watched them leave before saying in Vulcan, _"That_ _went well."_ Her eyes were on the PADD before her as she continued to annotate something, it wasn't unsual for her to be working on projects while he was in a meeting, _"I will send these to the Head of the Vulcan Science Academy, they will be able to do a more in-depth analysis," _she remarked before looking up at him. Soval nodded in acknowledgement and watched as they rose with him.

Kate was standing off to his side, she was tense, he was well aware it was in her job description to remain on guard at all times, however her tension was even higher now than it had been while they were in the room. She trailed after them as he left the room, "On the move, get the convoy in position," he commanded smoothly. She took her position before him in the lift, he stared at her slender back and how the knot was intricate behind her head. It was dry now, he had noticed how the water droplets in passing looked as though they were due on a spider's silk.

The turbo lift continued its journey, "Is the ground floor clear?" she asked. Soval turned his attention to the Major, she ignored this and continued, "Move the convoy to the back, I don't want the press or protestors to get wind of this." The press had learned their location and the protestors would only add to the tension between them. The Andorians didn't contact the press, he was well aware of that, which meant someone in the hotel had done so. He noticed how serene Kate was as she handled the complication expertly.

She didn't even flinch as she replied, "We will cut through Ball Room 4 and then into the kitchens, I want two teams ahead and two teams flanking. We will exit through the second dock." Her plan was firm and he wondered if the plan was clean in planning, the kitchens had the potential to meet more enemies, not fewer. Kate seemed to notice his discomfort, her blue eyes shifted to him as she remarked, "The staff will be so swamped that it is highly unlikely that the kitchens will have an enemy in them, but with the two point teams, they will be able to flush out the threat."

Her professionalism seemed to ring even louder in that moment, as she orchestrated the movement from one plan to another. The turbo lift stopped at the bottom floor and Kate quickly ushered them through the Ball room and toward the kitchen. Soval turned to see her with phaser in hand, her eyes were glued on what was before her as she continued searching the area. It was then Soval noticed flicker out of the corner of his eye, it was the flash from a camera.

Kate ignored this and whispered, "Keep moving," her tone was sterner than he recognized and in those moments he could tell she was genuinely concerned for his safety. Soval complied with no question, oddly the Admiral's words were ringing in his head, he had heard she would always keep him safe but wasn't sure if it were true. Perhaps, she would, she seemed to be on his side. Yet, at the same time, with all the unrest he began to question just what her role was.

The kitchen was noisy and he heard several servers and cooks shout at them for entering. It smelled of spices, meats and various other cooking elements. The jostling of silver wear, and china hung in his ears. The searing heat of the flames in the cooking ranges warmed his skin as they dashed past them. He noticed the young men and women in coats glaring at him, shouting a number of profanities which he didn't care to spend a great deal of time pondering. He could understand what was happening and had a feeling this escape route had been put in place with great haste.

Kate quickly stated, "The exit is in the back of the kitchen, there is a door which leads to the dumpsters," her voice seemed to echo in the room despite the great number of chefs. He nodded as he rushed to keep up with the group before him, he was surprised that she had opted to stand behind him, only to realize she was likely guarding the sides which hadn't been cleared during the hasty clearing. Her attention to detail was certainly worthy of praise, she may have been a Major but he still wasn't sure how well she had been trained.

The group continued their rushed path through the kitchen, the space was cramped and the aisles weren't designed to have so many people rushing through them at once. They were narrow and the metal benches provided a great deal of obstacle when it came to them moving in pairs. His dark eyes were plastered on the forms of Suran and T'Vok who had decided to move in front of him. The pair were silent and focused on simply getting out of the building and to the Consulate.

Soval was well acquainted with hasty exits, he had been sent as an Envoy on a number of assignments to locations far more hostile than Earth. It wasn't unusual on some of these planets to be evacuated with haste due to a bomb threat. As a result these motions were practically second nature to him. There had been a number of occasions, approximately 78 of them where he had to make a quick exit to avoid being injured. It wasn't that his teams were inadequate, it was the sheer fact that the situations had blossomed into something beyond their control.

The Ambassador made a quick turn to the left and it was then he felt something warm brush his back through his robes. A delicate scent of musk, mahogany, amber, and a few notes of a number of earth wild flours, it was as though he were stepping into the woods at twilight. The scent enveloped him and he felt a primitive urge fill him, his nostrils flared in response. "Ambassador," called a voice, which effectively snapped him from his stupor. The Vulcan looked over his shoulder to find the source of the scent and warmth he had felt against his back. A pair of crystal clear sky blue eyes which were narrowed in concern were staring at him. Her blonde mane was falling free of its hair clip and her lightly tanned skin stood out in the harsh lights of the kitchen. Her figure was wrapped in the black suit, which was a radical change from her usual uniform.

"Sir, we have to keep moving," she commanded. The Ambassador nodded and continued moving, he couldn't believe he had allowed such a lapse in control, and made note to meditate on the incident. However, for now he would allow Major Forrest to do her job. The Vulcan continued to follow her commands, the closer they grew to the exit the deeper a chill set into his skin. The alley was dark and reeked of food which was clearly near the end of its life. He could smell the pungent odor and wrinkled his nose.

Major Forrest did a quick sweep, however, she didn't even relax slightly, she seemed even tenser. "Ambassador I need you to get in the convoy," she stated harshly, her voice tight but professional. The alley was silent, as his dark brown eyes sifted over the scene before him. Kate spent little time inquiring about their transport. "Get in," she said rapidly.

Suran and T'Vok were the ones to do so first, all the while he looked at the end of the hallway to see several people watching. Several people grew quickly and he found himself wondering just what these people desired. There was a bright flash, disorienting him for a moment, until he noticed the photographers at a number of visitors take a photo with him.

It wasn't until he felt himself being pushed into the convoy rather brutishly that he was jolted out of his confusion. The sound of a phaser being discharged in the dark and dank alley echoed in the silence. Immediately he looked over his shoulder to see just what had transpired. His knees were protesting from the harsh shove into the convoy, the floor was rather unforgiving. It didn't take much for him to block this pain and attempt to discern what had occurred. Standing where he had been was Kate, her stance was rigid as she jumped into the convoy.

Without hesitation the young blonde jumped into the convoy, causing her to land harshly on her side. Her phaser still pointed out the door, "Drive," she commanded, causing the pilot to jump into action. She hadn't even spared the pilot a glance. Her black-clad body was sprawled across the glistening silver floor of the flitter. It was the he could see a light crusting of dirt on the bottoms of her slacks and shoes from walking in the rain. She had fallen in a position which allowed for him to protect them and fire her phaser accurately, something he wondered if she was trained to do.

The door of the flitter latched closed and he heard the pilot reply, "Yes, Major," before taking off out of the alley. He had never seen his pilot so ready to comply with the commands of a human. Yet, with the Major he had dropped everything and complied, as though she were the one who had hired him and was his commanding officer. In reality she was ranked higher, she did handle his personal security, however, he had anticipated more protest. The sound of the engines humming seemed to chase away all other sounds, as the occupants fell into a tense silence, far worse than any he had encountered in the hotel.

Soval took a moment to examine Suran, who was sitting calmly off to his left, and T'Vok, who seemed interested in her PADD. Suran's hair was slightly ruffled and his robes seemed to be a little wrinkled but otherwise he was unaffected. T'Vok was a picture of Vulcan Logic, not only was she calm but it was as though the entire series of events hadn't even transpired.

His dark eyes fell on the Major, no longer was she on the floor, she was sitting before him. Her posture was so straight, it was to the point of discomfort, he was certain that she was in pain. Knowing how hard she had hit the floor he first theorized it was from jumping into the flitter and hitting the floor.

Soval knew just how fragile Humans were, especially after the time he had seen Kate sporting a few bruises as a child from falling off a bike. It had occurred during one of his few visits to the Forrest abode to play chess with Max. Kate had stumbled into the house with a raw knee and bruises on her hands. He could see the crimson ribbons slipping down her leg, staining her white socks. Max leapt out of his seat in panic and immediately called for Abigail. He could still remember the haste they had made to patch their daughter up, who all the while was looking up at the ceiling, not a tear had been shed. Even after being patched up did Kate decide to get up and ride her bike again, despite her father's numerous warnings.

One of her small light hands gripped her bicep and she hissed with discomfort. Soval watched her keenly as small red ribbons slipped between her pale fingers, her knuckles turned white as she gripped her arm even harder. The smell of iron filled his nostrils as he looked at the young woman who remained professional despite the injury. "Major?" he asked after a moment, he noticed she was getting a little pale.

Kate looked up at him inquisitively, "You are bleeding, when we reach the compound go to the infirmary," he said without hesitation. The young woman shook her head, "No, not until you are in your Privet Residence," she argued, her tone was unyielding. She was honestly going to refuse treatment until he was safe, "Major Forrest, I will be safe in the walls of the compound, there is no need for you to escort me back to the Privet Residence," he replied. She shook her head vermilliantly, clearly she wasn't going to budge. "Protocol stipulates that after an incursion you are to return to the Privet Residence before the staff is debriefed," she stated sternly.

Soval taken aback, Kate hadn't seemed like the type to embrace protocol, however now she seemed more than interested in doing so. He felt his irritation blossom in his chest before replying, "That is standard protocol when the team is uninjured, you are to go to the infirmary and have your arm examined. Once that is done we will debrief the privet staff." Her sky blue eyes narrowed and before she even had a chance to argue Suran added, "Young T'Sai, you can't protect us when you yourself are injured, we will be safe in the compound."

Suran always seemed to know just what to say to Kate he noticed as she seemed to relax and her chin fell. Now why he was unable to produce the same result he was uncertain. She was willing to listen to the gentle goading of Suran but not to him, the man who was supposed to be her superior. It confounded him. "Suran, your security is a priority, I will tend to my wound once you are inside the Privet Residence so I am able to contact Starfleet and report the incident. Unless you would like to be fired upon in the future by an unnamed gunman," she replied.

She was slipping her phaser into it's holster before continuing, "I know what he looks like, I need a facial ID made from a sketch I will create, the only ones with those resources are Starfleet," she countered, "After all the shooter was human and not an off-worlder." Kate was placing her professional requirements before her health, which may have been admirable, but it wasn't necessary. She was just as important to his delegation as T'Vok and Suran.

There was a determined gleam in her eyes, and just then he understood what was occurring, it was in response from his threat to dismiss her if she didn't fulfill her duties to the fullest capacity. "Very well Major," he replied.

It was then he understood why he had been pushed to the earth in the first place, Kate held the answers and never even realized. _"She had quite a great deal to learn,"_ mumbled Suran. It was true, her dedication to a task was certainly admirable, but shouldn't replace her duty to ensuring that she is healthy to serve.

Soval gazed out the window, noting his great need to meditate in an attempt to understand the events of that evening.

The walk back to the Consulate was silent as Major Forrest executed her duties. Just when they had met inside, the Privet Residence did he immediately speak with each of them and begin the report. After learning of the tensions on earth the Vulcan council required reports on these incidents. It was rather inconvenient but necessary, the sooner the report was filed the better. Suran and T'Vok wrote out their accounts in their rooms, leaving him with Major Forrest. She was still in the black ensemble; her blonde hair was falling free from the large number of pins. She had taken a seat before his desk and he noticed that her arm was still bleeding. Soval sighed internally, she was certainly stubborn.

He rose from his seat and watched as she mirrored him out of respect and training. "Come with me," he commanded as he began walking out of the room. He could practically feel the daggers she was shooting with her eyes at him. "Ambassador, where are we going?" she inquired, he quickly made a turn down another hallway and she recognized the root instantly. "To the infirmary, your injuries need treatment," he stated.

He made another left and listened to Kate huff, "I can take care of it after the debriefing," she stated. Of course, she was arguing such a thing, she was as stubborn as Max in this matter. Max was the kind of man who put himself last. In reality, he couldn't criticize or judge, after all it was the fundamental of Vulcan philosophy to place the need of others first. "Of course, however, it would be unwise to put it off and risk infection. We can do the debriefing once you have been treated," he replied.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Kate was walking by his side, her posture was perfect however her arms were crossed, "Yes, which was why I was going to seek treatment later." Soval turned his head and noticed the scowl which had settled on her face, clearly she was less than amused with this notion. "I see, however, how am I to be certain that you are able to recall the details accurately when your pain is distracting you," he stated, his irritation was beginning to bubble once more.

He didn't understand it but somehow she had caused his control to slip. "Fine," she replied harshly, she was petulant like a child in that moment. Soval was silent as they walked through a pair of sliding glass doors and into the tan infirmary. The scent of antiseptic filled his nose, immediately a pair of doctors appeared. "Osu, what can we do for you?" asked the elder of the pair. He noticed how the pair were immediately searching for injuries or signs of ailment.

Soval gestured to Kate and stated, "Major Forrest was injured in the firefight in the alley this evening." The pair turned their attention to the young woman and in moments they had tricorders in hand, "It is a slight burn, please have a seat on the bio-bed Major," asked one of the doctors. Kate complied and he watched as she shed her blazer and then began unbuttoning her black dress shirt. He was going to turn away when he also noticed she was wearing a tank top under her clothing. It clung to her like a second skin and it was only when the clothes were peeled away that he realized the amount of damage the shot had caused.

His eyes fell on raw and tender flesh of her arm, it was inflamed and the blood, which seeped from it ran down her arm. She looked even paler than before in the clinical lighting and he had a feeling she had sustained more damage than she had lead on. "Lie back Major," instructed Dr. Stron. She gladly fell back on the bed, and he watched as the wound was cleaned. "What can you tell me of the event Major?" asked Soval as he took a seat near her head. He watched her expression contort with pain and decided that by conducting the review now, that he would be able to distract her long enough.

"At 2200 this evening Ambassador Soval and Ambassador Krim were meeting to discuss several incidents. At 2300 the Ambassador and his delegation were to return to the compound, however the press were somehow informed that they were present," she stated, Soval watched her face twist as Stron applied a strong antiseptic, he had heard it caused humans discomfort but wasn't anticipating such a great deal of it. "Continue, Major. What transpired next?" he asked.

Kate hissed and continued, "I changed the exit strategy to south exit through the kitchens at dock 2. It was the safest possible route, the delegates were moved from the top floor and through the building to and from there the ballroom, the kitchens and finally into the back alley, as agreed as an emergency exit strategy," she paused and Soval was confused until he noticed her complexion becoming even paler. Stron had vanished and was returning with an IV and bag of fluids. Strong was quick to give her the bag and nodded for Soval to continue.

"Major," he said once more. Kate opened her eyes and continued, "The convoys arrived however there was an increase of activity around the building, however I noticed movement and drew my phaser," she paused to draw a breath before continuing, "I pushed the Ambassador into the convoy after seeing a man who wasn't part of the security detail I had ordered to clear the alley. He was in his late thirties, six foot two inches, had dark brown hair that was thinning and a receding hairline. His eyes were brown and his skin was lightly tanned, there was a mole under his left eye and a scar splitting his cupid's bow in two, it ran from his nose to his lips."

"The assailant let off a shot, which I dodged and made sure the Ambassador was secure before returning fire, I shot twice, both for the chest. He dodged the first but was hit with the second," she stated, "I proceeded to jump into the convoy and commanded that we leave the premises. Once the convoy was on the move we took the fastest route to the consulate." She had remembered every detail of their attacker with ease and now what was left was to finish the report.

Kate looked him square in the eye and said confidently, "1 injury, no fatalities. The Injury was a flesh wound from a Phaser shot taken by myself." In a number of ways the entire ordeal could have ended far worse, yet it didn't. She had managed to get everyone out of the area safely without strain or any unnecessary injuries. He quickly turned the recording off and endorsed it before sending it to Council for review.

His eyes fell on Kate who was gaining more color and he looked over to see her arm had been regenerated by Stron who was now noting his PADD. "Use an unscented moisturizer on the regenerated skin, gently massage it into the area. It's going to be susceptible to drying out and may become irritated," Stron stated. Kate nodded in reply before he hurried off to his office. Soval noticed how she slowly rose from the bio-bed. He easily got up and looked at her, "Rest."

He heard a rustle behind him and noticed she was slipping back into her dress shirt, "We should increase the security around the parameter as well as when you leave the compound," she advised. Soval paused and turned to face her. He had a feeling she would suggest something, however she had to realize that an increase in security didn't mean the area was secure. It was in reality about how well the line was being held and their ability to detect threats as well as Star Fleet intervening in the rising actions.

Soval looked at her critically, "Our concern is currently preventing an intergalactic incident. We need to make sure it was just our delegation and not the Andorians. Also I do not wish to create tensions between the two species, let alone how Vulcan will react to this incident," he stated. Kate grit her teeth and reiterated, "Hence the need to increase security around the compound." The Ambassador clasped his hands behind his back, "I will speak with Kruss, however, I assure you that the current level of security at this facility is far greater than any other on Earth," he stated.

Kate didn't look convinced, in fact she looked even more irate. Soval ignored her and stated, "Rest, and get that sketch to Star fleet as soon as possible," as he left the infirmary. She was acting like a child once again. One moment she was acting like the professional he knew she was and the next she was acting like a child, it irritated him. She was 28 in Earth standard years and yet, there she was arguing with him over security. It was irrational and illogical, yet, he still desired to understand her view.

Soval sighed, something he hoped he wouldn't do as frequently as he had been that day, and continued toward his office. He had his own report to write and to deal with a probably panicked Kuvak, which wasn't really a stretch from the norm.

Once this was finished he planned to sit for a very long meditation and ponder all of the emotions and events of the day. Part of him wondered if his meditations would become increasingly longer thanks to the Major.

~vOv~

Kate slipped off her black jacket and peeled away her tee shirt. The air was warm in the gym. Her bare skin was already sticky thanks to the high temperature. The skin on her right arm was still a little tender, it was freshly regenerated and she could still remember the expression on the doctor's face as she sat on his bench. Apparently he had forgotten that she was human. The wound was a slight burn from the phaser beam which hit her, clearly it was set to kill since it seared the skin. She was lucky it had grazed her arm and that the damage was slight. It wasn't the treatment though; it was how the Ambassador effectively dismissed her after she had recounted her version of the events. He hadn't even allowed for her to stay for his meeting with the Vulcan Council.

She tossed both items to an empty bench, where she had placed her bag. After a moment she slipped her fingers into a pair of fingerless boxing gloves and stood before a punching bag. Her blue eyes narrowed as she shifted in her black martial arts shoes, she rolled her shoulders as she did so. Her black sweat pants hung at her hips as she began warm up. Like a cat she stretched her limbs, her mind venturing elsewhere.

Again Ambassador Soval refused to listen to her suggestion to increase security after the incident of that day she had stated that an increase was only logical. Things were growing tense and she just wanted to do her job, especially after the events of that day. A shooter in an alley which was supposed to be cleared by the first two teams was unseen. She had questioned all of them only to learn he hadn't been detected.

Kate eyed the bag with irritation, she would never strike the Ambassador, but that didn't mean she could take her frustration out on the bag. "Fuck this," she growled as she struck the bag, her hands moving rapidly as she leaned toward it, the sound of her fists pounding into it echoed in her ears. Again and again he dismissed her; with each punch she threw she could hear his emotionless voice. She twisted on the ball of her foot, kicking the air and delivering a harsh kick to the bag, it swung in response before she rounded on it and attacked once more.

A bead of sweat slipped from her brow to her neck. Golden blonde hair swung in it's ponytail as her fists made contact with the bag. Her anger swelled as she twisted around again, working the bag from every angle. Her fists pounded into the bright red bag, the sound echoes through the room, drowning out her pants and growls. The bag swung loudly as she pushed harder and harder. Vulcans had control over their emotions, she didn't want control over those, she wanted control over the situation.

The Ambassador wasn't even listening to her. She was trying to do everything she could and didn't even go to the gym she was a member of; she used the Embassy's facilities. Her goal was simple, protect the Ambassador and ensure the creation of the Federation of Planets.

The warm room seemed even hotter as she pushed herself, strike after strike she felt her mind clear. She needed control and if it meant beating a bag that was what she would do. She growled as she kicked the bag with the opposite leg, another series of punches later and she drew back, her arms limp at her sides and her head tossed back. "I need control," she hissed. She had it when she became a MACO they had given her the tools to tame her life and yet with the Ambassador it was impossible.

She rounded on the bag once more striking it with a great deal more force than she had intended. "Impressive," remarked a voice from the other side of the room. Standing in the doorway was Suran, he was wearing a pair of exercise pants and a tee shirt. She sighed, she couldn't be agitated with him, Suran had warned her of Soval's intentions. His eyes skimmed over her and they darkened, "Young T'Sai you might desire to find more appropriate attire," he remarked. Kate was confused briefly until she remembered that she was standing in only a sports bra and black sweat pants. "Sorry," she squeaked before slipping her tank top on.

Suran entered the room and slipped onto an exercise bike, it was on odd sight but then she realized that all of the equipment was probably selected by Vulcans. Part of her wondered who had selected the punching bag, it wasn't something a passive Vulcan would own. "I can adjust the thermostat if you like, humans are used to working in cooler conditions," he remarked. Kate shook her head, she liked being able to work up a sweat.

"No, I'm okay," she stated as she walked to her bag and took a sip of water. Suran began to pedal and replied, "Clearly you are not, the bag wouldn't be swinging so violently if you were." Kate sighed as she grabbed a white towel and wiped her face. Of course he could see through her, Vulcans were incredible at reading humans, especially when it came to emotions.

She put her hands on her hips and looked at Suran, "He won't listen," she stated harshly. Suran's eyebrows lifted momentarily before he asked, "Osu?" Kate nodded as she sat on the bench where her bag was sitting, she could still hear the pedals on the stationary bike turning. She bowed her head, he was getting to her, and that in itself was unacceptable. She was trained to push that notion away and focus on protection and yet, yet he managed to get under her skin. "Yes, he isn't listening, honestly you'd think he wanted to be a target," she stated harshly.

Her eyes fell on the floor beneath her shoes, "Osu desires to continue serving his people. He is in a difficult position," he stated. Kate's head shot up, "He is? As if I hadn't noticed. He should remember that he isn't of much service to the Vulcan people if he's dead." Suran was quiet and somewhere along the line the pedals had stopped turning. She looked up to see a rather calm Vulcan standing before her.

"Rise," he said sternly, his voice bore an edge and Kate instantly obeyed. Suran's dark eyes examined her, "Have you ever tried meditation?" he asked. The blonde looked at him as though he were insane and then huffed, "No, I want control of the situation, not emotions." Suran smiled a little as he shook his head, the corners of his lips curled slightly. The elder Vulcan bent at the knees before her and said softly, "Young T'Sai those are one in the same."

Kate stared at him incredulously, emotions weren't the part of controlling a situation, she had been taught about planning and maneuvering a group not emotions. "What?" she asked dumbly, she couldn't help it. It made sense to keep her emotions in check when there was danger but not to do so in everyday activity. Her blue eyes looked up at the pale skinned older Vulcan, his dark eyes seemed to glitter slightly at her question.

Suran folded his hands before him, "Control is gained through not only the body but the mind. In a disciplined mind, like the Ambassador's it is possible to see all possible moves and shift them so that the game becomes yours," he stated. Kate lifted a brow, she didn't think emotions clouded judgment as much as he was suggesting, "We are not unfeeling, we have very powerful emotions, in fact, Ambassador Soval has the most powerful emotions I have witness in a long time," he stated. The young blonde stared in confusion, Vulcans didn't express emotions like humans, at least they didn't appear to.

Suran rose and said simply, "Rise, T'Sai, and allow me to show you something." Kate nodded as she got to her feet, she was even more confused than before, Suran had been helping her since she arrived, but she had no idea what he was up to. Kate pulled off her gloves and tossed them into her bag before grabbing her jacket, "Leave them, Vulcan's don't steal," he instructed. Suran walked out of the room with grace as he lead her down a hallway and into another room, it was smaller with warm wooden floors several gold screens. There were several rich plum cushions on the floor and a small wooden table.

Suran took a seat on one of them and held his hand out to direct her to the position across from him. Kate willingly took a seat. He drew a deep breath and rested his palms on his knees. His eyes fell on her as he waited a moment, she could tell he was composing his thoughts. "There is a reason why Vulcan's don't touch, even one another," he stated, "We are touch telepaths." Kate was silent, that part of the mystery was revealed yet it didn't explain why Soval wasn't listening or Suran's point.

The elder Vulcan drew a deep breath, "We labor to control our emotions, and since we do, we do not wish to infringe on other races, therefore we don't touch," he explained. He looked at her as he held his hand out to her. She eyed it curiously, most would be afraid and yet she was more than willing to see what she could about him. "The Ambassador is no stranger to emotion," he reiterated confusing Kate.

Suran closed his eyes once more, it was as though he were fighting an internal battle. "Major, the most emotional day for the Ambassador was not when his wife had died with his daughter, or when he had been sent to Earth," Suran stated sternly. She fell silent as she looked at him with wide curious blue eyes, her brown hair falling down her back as she leaned forward a little more. The Ambassador was very reserved and to learn just a little about him was a treat in itself.

A look of sadness crossed Suran's face, "It was when he brought your father home and watched the little girl he had met one Christmas Party break before him," he said slowly. Kate's mouth popped open as she stared at Suran in shock, of all the things to endure the most emotional day was returning the Admiral to his home. To return her father to her, "That day Osu truly was upset, he wept for the Admiral and you. I had never seen him so emotional, it was as though I were dealing with another person entirely, not the man I had come to know," he said softly.

Kate was silent, Suran's statement echoed in her head. "Close your eyes," he instructed, "In order for you to gain control you must have control of your emotions." Kate obeyed, if she was to be of any aid to the ambassador she realized she would have to learn to control herself. Suran's voice washed over her, his instructions were to focus on the emotion's within, to examine them and then allow them to pass by.

Her mind was jumbled and she couldn't focus, she respected Suran but she couldn't concentrate. Her eyes flickered open and she noticed how calm Suran seemed. She closed her eyes once again and began to try and tame her mind, only for the image of her father's casket to appear, and the look of disgust on her mother's face. Kate growled in frustration as she jumped to her feet after several minutes. This was going to be a great deal more difficult than she thought.


	5. Shades of Gray

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: **_Enterprise_**, it is property of Paramount Pictures and it's creators: Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Katharine Forrest and Suran were inspired by characters created by **_Sensera_** and Fameanon's **_Ginie_** and Sorak. Any parallels between the works with this one were unintentional. **_

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Shades of Gray<strong>

There is always a threat of losing control, for some this loss is greater and more devastating than others. Control is what often is equated to the upper hand in a game of chess, or a strategy to ensure victory in war, yet, there are times in which these battles aren't only physical but mental as well. In many ways, it's the mental battles where an individual has a great deal more to lose. Not only may he lose his friends and allies, but also his own sanity. It is a turbulent sea of memories which often evoke emotions that in many cases individuals forget they even possess.

The mind is a complex place, regardless of the species it is filled with mystery and even the very way it operates has eluded the most intelligent of them. There are many methods that are utilized in an attempt to tame it, and much of it is tedious. At least for an outsider, those who were dedicated to mental disciplines learned early on what was demanded of them.

Not a whisper was heard, only the sound of what one would mistake as a rolling tide, deep and measured, yet soothing. It sounded as though the waves were crashing against the rocks and scraping against the shore in a disparate attempted to scale it, and move further inland. The room was still, and the walls themselves even seemed tranquil, as they towered around the inhabitants, each painted a golden cream. The room was muted in many ways, despite the large number of windows to the West, allowing for the light of the afternoon sun to pour through them. Sitting in the center of the room on a dark silk cushion was perhaps the only individual who wasn't as tranquil as the room.

While his exterior exhibited both self discipline and control, his mind was in chaos. Everything from the unusual claims of the Andorian's to the actions of Major Forrest seemed to clutter it. He felt as though he were suffocating in his own head. Ambassador Soval attempted to tame the landscape of his mind, yet to no avail. He had been thrust into the realm of uncertainty, where chaos reigned supreme. The once tranquil sands of the desert and still Vulcan sky were swirled. Sand fires appeared and the sky it's self was filled with ominous dark clouds, swirling with energy, the only sign that a massive storm was going to occur on his home world. The air was sweltering and the winds whipped so violently that he himself wondered why he hadn't lost all control.

The Andorians were always looking for a reason to cause a great deal of struggle between them, they often craved a way to ignite war, despite the fact that the pair would surly annihilate one another so violently that there wouldn't be a trace of them in the end. The weapons signatures looked identical to a Vulcan ship, however, that was impossible, none of those ships had been fitted with the weapons they were accused of. He had checked all of the data from possible modifications on all the ships which were reported to have possessed it. Only to find that such modifications never occurred.

Trade between planets was getting far more tense, and the cause of these readings became more and more ambiguous. Logically it would because the weapons were present, yet none of them had been recorded as being implemented. In fact, the only ships to possess such weapons were the Class 4 Merchants, who were known for intergalactic trade, yet they didn't even show evidence of charging or even targeting the ports, which was what they had been accused of. As a result the Vulcan Economy was showing affects of this. Suddenly other planets perceived them as having offensive notions and violent ideals, only adding to the discomfort between planets.

The wind became even more harsh as the Ambassador grabbed the information, oddly turning it into a sheet. The white page with Vulcan script on it was heavy in his fingers, much like the responsibility he had to his planet. The paper was stiff, and yet with grace he folded it up and held it out, so that the wind may take it. He needed to find his center and in order to do so, he would have to cast away any and all external factors. The reason he was so frustrated by these events was simple, he did not wish for his people to suffer for crimes which they hadn't committed, but proving that they hadn't committed them was even more of a challenge.

Dark brown eyes followed the sheet as it disappeared only for another issue to appear, just when he thought he had managed to cast them all away. His world turned gray, even the once vivid red sky had turned to a dark hue of gray. Standing before him in a standard MACO uniform was Kate, the only item of color, he felt as though he were trapped in the world of a Terran Monochrome film. She was clutching her shoulder, her fingers tainted red, the blood slipping onto the ground she stood on. Her face had smears of both dirt and blood. Her hair was matted, dirty and in such a stated that he didn't recognize it as being blonde. Her once luminous blue eyes had faded, and a gleam of pain had settled in them. She was far too thin, fragile looking as her lips parted, "Help," was the only word he heard.

Soval gasped as he fell from his meditation and fount himself sprawled across the floor of the meditation room. His chest was heaving as his heart pounded painfully in his side. "Kate," he whispered as he bolted up right and made for the door. He had to make sure she was safe, he simply had to make sure she was uninjured. Fear, a fear he had only felt once in his life filled him again, the fear of losing something important. He left his robe hanging in the corner and wandered into the hallway wearing only a tunic and pair of pants. His feet were still bare, and he could feel the harsh tile flooring of the hallway under them as he padded toward her.

Just as he rounded the corner he noticed her standing at attention, her eyes plastered forward at the rest of the hallway, watching for any movement which may have been interoperated as hostile. Upon further inspection he noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes, she seemed pale and even her lack of sleep had made it's self known in her posture, since she was slightly slumped. He was well aware that he worked long hours, and for the longest time still didn't wish to comply with Max's wishes, after all he knew far better than Max on these affairs. Yet, she had managed to tolerate him, and his staff, to still stand in the hallway and protect him.

Soval straightened his tunic and clasped his hands behind his back, she needed a break. As much as he hated seeing her protect him, causing the stubborn girl pain wasn't gratifying either. Mentally he paused, gratifying, that wasn't the way of a Vulcan, and wondered just how much she skewed his emotions. He slowly approached her, working out just how he was going to tell her to take some time off and not sound as though he were interested in keeping her.

The simplest way was to dismiss her for the day, which was just what he planned to do. "Major Forrest," he stated. The young woman in question turned to him and asked, "Ambassador?" Soval stared at her sky-blue eyes and replied, "You are dismissed for the day, I plan on staying in the compound." It was true he didn't plan on leaving it, and in reality she didn't have to shadow him while he was within the consulate, it was excessive to say the least. "Sir, I am you guard, even if you plan to stay in the Consulate, I am to guard you at all times," she replied, without hesitation. Clearly it was her argument for any and all challenged he placed before her, it was logical after all.

"But, unnecessary. You have not slept in several days and I do not need it affecting your performance and ability to serve us," he stated harshly. He knew it was cruel to play on her sense of duty, but she had to see that her welfare was just as important as theirs. She glared at him, another thing he was becoming accustomed to, "How would you know that?" she asked with a hint of irritation. Soval internally sighed, she was going to argue anyway.

Soval replied without even a hint of apology, "The bags under your eyes, posture and the fact that your log-ins with the security servers are very late. Kruss had visited me earlier today and stated that you are up surprisingly late." Kate fell silent, she had been caught, now why she was even attempting to hide was a mystery to him. She looked at him and he watched her shoulders sag a little.

He didn't like this look of defeat but rather it be himself than an actual assailant. "You are dismissed for the rest of the day and this evening. I would like to see you at 6 tomorrow morning," he commanded. Kate had no room left to argue, he listened to her heels snap together as she nodded and said crisply, "Yes, sir." He watched as she turned and began walking down the hallway.

At least this issue was solved, now he simply had to understand why she affected him so. Soval's eyes flickered back down the hallway, there was one way to do it, and it was meditation. Yet, he had been attempting to do so for the past three hours, and hadn't reached center. "Perhaps I should attempt to solve the issue with the scans," he mused. With that he walked back to the room to collect his shoes and robe, to work he would go, and hopefully he would find just a little clarity in that event.

~vOv~

The memory is a fickle place, for in here it is entirely influences by not only the observation skills of the individual at the time but also the emotions they had felt. Emotions, which actually taint the purely of the memory, or at least this is true for those who aren't trained to take in nearly every minute detail of a face. The sound of a pencil filled the room as it scraped against a pad of paper. While many artists utilized PADD based programs, nothing was better than a sketch.

Black smeared fingers gripped the edges of the large block as it's owner shaded an area. This was the third sketch so far, and yet, each and every sketch she had sent to Star Fleet for analysis wasn't received. Kate huffed in frustration as she looked into a pair of dark soulless eyes that were staring at her from the page. It was strange, and each time she had attempted to contact them she was informed that they had never received the email. In fact, they hadn't even heard of the incident, which in it's self was alarming. With a groan she tossed the pad of paper aside and listened to it collide with the glass table in the lounge.

Soval was engaged in another meeting with T'Vok as well as several Ministers from Vulcan, apparently trade with several planets was becoming even more strained, it wasn't just the Andorians. He had dismissed her, and oddly she didn't mind. It allowed for her to get another version of the sketch sent to Star Fleet.

She looked at the charcoals and pencils resting in an old biscuit tin, they were worn and the nubs varied in size. All MACOs were trained sketch artists, it was a trait they had learned in case technology wasn't available so that it were possible to at least make visual contact with a mark. Sketching was like any other part of her training, when practiced it was possible to become very good.

The only issue was getting someone to run the scans. It was impossible to do it from the Vulcan Consulate, they didn't have access to the Star Fleet Database. There were limits of their power, and access to sensitive materials of that nature was nearly impossible. She had gone through all of the proper channels, and had yet to hear a response on the sketch. It was as though her mail was being intercepted.

Kate froze, her mail was being intercepted, or at least the sketch had been. The very notion caused the blood in her veins to freeze. If this were the case than the possibility that the man in the alley was more than just a desperate thug seemed even more possible. In a snap she snatched her PADD from the coffee table and opened her contacts list. If she couldn't get help from the right division, she would sent it as someone else. A smile curled her lips, in the instance that someone wanted to prevent her from communicating with Star Fleet she had created another account, one which a select few knew, and by few it was simply Archer, Phlox, T'Pol, Trip and Malcolm, the officers of the _Enterprise_. It was Captain Archer's idea, since he didn't like the idea of Kate getting locked out and found it essential for her to have a back-up account.

At first she had argued with him, but now realized the logic behind it and felt a little impressed. The childish Captain Archer had actually instructed her to do something very intelligent. She was quick to log out of the original account, only to pause and stand up, she didn't need Soval or Suran seeing this, since what she was about to do was illegal. Major Forrest stuck her head out the door and look down the hallway, after a moment she deemed it to be clear and walked down the hallway with haste.

She wouldn't have long before Soval called upon her and needed to get the sketch to someone. She had to hijack another person's IP, and it had to be someone from Star Fleet. Kate quickly padded down the hallway as she sifted through her PADD for a specific little program she had written in case she was ever in a bind. It was small and didn't look like much to the untrained eye, but to anyone who knew something about PADDs and computers it was a loaded gun.

The small program had only been used once before, and after doing so she vowed that she would only use it if necessary. As she walked down the hallway she pretended to be immersed in a document on the PADD, which wasn't a stretch from her normal behavior, after all she was always receiving orders from the Ambassador or Star Fleet on it. Just as she rounded another corner and entered the lobby did she see what she was planning on. Standing near the desk was an young Ensign, she had blonde hair and brown eyes. She was shorter than Kate, but not by much.

Kate hummed with approval as she stepped closer, her strides were confident and she stopped just short of the young woman, only to activate the program. Instantly the woman's contacts and information was being sent to her PADD as she cloned the devise. Virtually she managed to steal the very identity of the woman before her and in many ways could possibly impassionate her if she wished. The Ensign turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Major," she squeaked, her brown eyes were the size of plates as she did so. Kate was more than aware that most of Star Fleet knew who she was. After all she was the only human allowed near the Ambassador in such close proximity who wasn't one of the Admirals.

She flashed a welcoming smile, "Hello Ensign, enjoying the Consulate?" she asked smoothly. She needed 30 more seconds to complete the process. The young woman nodded, "Yes, it's lovely. I was surprised really, Vulcans are so distant and yet their choice of décor is inviting," she stated. Kate hummed, she didn't have the heart to tell her that a majority of what she was seeing was created just to make humans feel at ease, for most Vulcans their world consisted of a larger number of shades and more intricate fabrics.

Major Forrest hummed with approval, "It is rather soothing, shall I show you to the door?" she asked cordially. The Vulcan at the desk arched a brow in confusion before Kate stated, "I just wanted to ask her a few questions, besides it's nice to run into another person from the academy." She turned to the young Ensign and continued escorting her, listening for any cues as to whether she was a threat. "So what track are you on?" asked Kate as they began to head toward the exit.

The young woman was beaming as she replied, "Science, I was dropping off some material for T'Vok." Kate hummed, she had chosen wisely, the Ensign probably had no idea what was going to happen to her once she left the Consulate but Kate was going to use this to her advantage, of course she would make sure none of it was traced back to the Ensign, but she needed a fresh IP and this was the only way to do it. "You don't get out much do you?" asked Kate lightly. The Ensign laughed and shook her head, "Nah, I spend more time in the labs than anywhere else," she replied with a hint of sadness.

Kate hummed, she remembered those days, she didn't do much by the means of entertainment either. "It's okay, study hard and you'll achieve anything. What's your name?" she asked. The Ensign looked over her shoulder and replied, "Kyra Sparrow." Sparrow, it was certainly unique but it also sounded as though it were fake, her eyes narrowed slightly wondering if she were about to nick a fake ID to use. Kyra smiled warmly as they approached the gates and Kate held up her hand to wish her well.

Her smile slipped away from her face as she turned on her heel and checked her PADD, she had the IP. With ease she managed to get back to the room and looked over the information, her eyes skimming it with skill looking for any signs that it had been manufactured. Apparently Sparrow was a decent student, no where near a prodigy, but not run of the mill either. It was realistic and yet, there was something unusual about it, why an Ensign who was considerably average was delivering material to the Vulcan Consulate confounded her.

Mentally she berated herself, she didn't have a great deal of time to send the sketch, she had spent most of it attempting to acquire a new IP. Kate quickly logged into the Ensign's accounts, using passwords which had been saved to the PADD and sent the message. The sketch was then flung across cyberspace and into the waiting mailbox of someone from the division she had been attempting to contact. The only thing she had done before that was make sure the message was routed to another inbox, the one in the dummy account.

There was a rustle and Kate looked up to see Suran standing in the doorway, "Young T'Sai, Osu has retired to meditate," he stated after a moment. Kate looked up at him after watched the PADD erase all the evidence of her deed. "I see, it went that well huh?" she asked as she placed her PADD aside and rested her hands in her lap. Suran sighed, his shoulders dropping slightly as he did so. "These weapons signatures are showing up on other planets we trade with, and they are also very real," he remarked. Kate stared in shock at Suran. It wasn't normal for him to be sharing something so sensitive, then again the entire issue was unusual.

She had done a great deal of study on Vulcan starships and their classifications to know that few captains would ever fit their ships with such dangerous weapons. "The VSA hasn't turned up anything?" she asked curiously. Suran shook his head before sitting in a chair beside her. "Nothing, T'Vok is getting frustrated, she contacted Star Fleet and apparently they sent some materials here for her to examine. She doubts they will aid us," Suran mused.

At least now Ensign Sparrow made sense, obviously she was just the messenger. "Sounds frustrating, the Ambassador must be ready to snap. I'm kinda shocked your still calm," she mused. Suran was quiet as his eyes fell on the sketch pad on the table. "May I?" he asked curiously, a brow arching as he did so. Kate waved it off, and he slowly picked up the block. "The Ambassador required meditation, the facts are… conflicting," he stated as his eyes fell on the sketch.

With a great deal of care he seemed to examine the image, despite the fact that it was of the person who had been attempting to kill them. "This is impressive, your rendition of the assailant is perfect," he commented before lifting the page and arching a brow once more, silently asking for permission. "Thanks, it's kind of part of being a MACO," she replied, "Oh go on, thumb through them."

Suran didn't need another hint and she watched as the Vulcan still dressed in dark brown robes turned the page, only to pause and examine each image. They were mainly portraits, some of random staff from the Embassy, others of people in the streets. Suran flipped the page slowly, his motions were careful, as though he would offend the drawings and that they would somehow vanish before his eyes. Each of them was different, some portrayed an emotion while others were a study of different facial features. He turned the page once more and asked, "Our robes?"

The Major nodded as she leaned over and looked at the image, it was a study she had done in an attempt to perfect her shading on drapery. "Yeah, I was working on my shading, I have seen Soval's robes hanging as well as yours and realized they were the perfect model," she replied. Suran turned the page only to see several sketches of Archer, in fact there were three pages dedicated to the man. Every one of his emotions were displayed from Anger to fear and then confusion. Suran arched a brow as he turned the page to see a Beagle, "Oh that's Porthos, he's Archer's dog," she stated, answering his unvoiced question. The corners of his lips quirked up as he stared at an image of Archer chasing the dog, with Trip and Malcolm scrambling behind him, meanwhile T'Pol was totting a bag of treats, they looked as though they would run off the page in an attempt to catch the captain's pet.

Suran turned the page again only to pause, "Oh sorry," she mumbled and flushed a little. Staring back at them was Suran, she had drawn him a few times, she found the wrinkles of his face intriguing as well as how his eyes were very expressive. Unlike the others in the book she had drawn his with ink, it was all done with a fine nib pen. Each of the emotions she had witnessed was present, from irritation to amusement. His eyes fell on one image and she knew what it was, "Affection? Do not let your eyes device you, we do not allow such emotions to formulate," he chided.

A smirk curled her lips, he was denying it, "Oh? So when you look at me like that, after I've done well or I'm out of harms way that isn't affection?" she asked crossing her arms petulantly. Suran replied hastily, "No it is not, we do not express emotions." Kate shook her head, as always it seemed to be the only thing every Vulcan was convinced they had total control over, their emotions. "Okay then," she stated with a huff, knowing that there was little point in arguing with the sagely Vulcan.

The Vulcan Aide ignored her as he turned the page and froze instantly. "You drew this?" he asked dumbly. Kate was about to ask him what the issue was, until she realized just which image he was on, it was the first of the book. She had drawn it after Admiral Forrest's return to Earth. It was also the most detailed in the book.

Unlike the rest which stared out of the page, it was an unusual piece. She had caught a glimpse of his face that evening expressing a combination of pain and sorrow. It was a profile view, where it were possible to see his pointed ears and suddenly all the years that had accumulated, and then some, in his eyes. His upward sweeping brow seemed wrinkled slightly as his eyes narrowed. It was a sketch of a vulnerable man, who wasn't the Ambassador in that moment, but a sentient being who had been through a great deal. There was something about the look in his eyes which told her she had to tread carefully and yet, never back off. It was an expression which loomed in her mind; he was utterly alone and in pain.

"You saw this?" Suran asked shaking Kate from her thoughts. All she could do was nod, she had lost the ability to form words some time ago. For some reason that sketch made her remember she wasn't the only one who lost something important. Kate swept a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear and nodded. Suran looked at the sketch and hummed, she knew it was older than the rest, in fact it was one of her first assignments. She had been told she fabricated the image but his expression was burned into her memory.

Suran handed her the sketch book, "That expression was the one he wore in private for many years, I wouldn't show this to anyone," he said after a moment. Kate collected the book when she noticed her PADD flash. She stared at the slick silver devise in confusion, she shouldn't have heard anything yet. It should have taken longer. "I will leave you," Suran said as he rose from his seat. Kate's hand shot up to halt him, "Wait, this could be on that sketch," she stated.

Even though Suran worked for the Ambassador and she had done some fairly illegal actions to send the sketch, he paused as she snatched the PADD and quickly opened it. Her fingers flew across the screen and she stared at the message.

_Sparrow,_

_The sketch you sent this afternoon was received. Meet me at the place of dreams constructed of glass, a quarter to bewitching hour, I have some information you require. It's quite the risk, and believe me there are many games which will cost you your life in more ways than one. I hope you like risks. If you accept, wear a ring of crimson around your neck, and paint your lips red. I suggest you keep in mind, I like a loaded gun._

Kate read the message twice, a cryptic one that wasn't regulation. She looked at Suran who was watching her carefully, it was clear that he was expecting something akin to an update. "Major?" he asked curiously Kate hummed as she attempted to track the IP only to find a dummy account. It was honestly her luck that she would run into someone as clever as her. "I got a reply, but not an ID, and invitation," she replied. Suran's eyebrows practically disappeared into his hairline.

The Vulcan held his hand out for the PADD, which she immediately handed over, after deleting her tracking on the other person's IP, naturally. Suran read the message and sat down in the chair he had once been settled in. "It's rather obscure," he replied, "Is there a key?" Kate shook her head, she knew the message was a riddle, it wasn't an easy one.

"Well, the first part is easy, it's a confirmation. The second part though," she began and paused, "it's a location, which is obvious." Suran pulled out his own PADD and began to open something, "What are you doing?" she asked harshly. Suran paused and looked up at her with large blue eyes, his eyes always seemed to betray him, then again he wasn't as tightly wound as the Ambassador, who's mood was always veiled. "I was going to tell Osu of this event," he replied.

Kate shook her head, there was no way she was having the Ambassador involved until she had reached the bottom of this and knew if they had any information. "No, I don't want to chase a herring, he doesn't need to know about this until I'm sure this is a lead," she stated harshly, "His primary concern is economic in nature and determining why he hadn't been able to keep trade with other planets." Suran was silent and she could sense the shock, he looked as though he were going to argue the logic until she held her hand up silencing him, "My primary purpose is to protect him, this is in my job description. If there is something of value that comes out of this then I will speak to him," she stated as she faced the window, her hands behind her back as she gazed out the window at the choppy waters of the bay, "Until then, I will chase this lead and decide for myself its value."

Suran was one for logic, he was usually attempting to talk her out of doing something foolish, yet currently he was silent. Kate's blue eyes flickered over to him, only to note the Vulcan looked oddly content. "I was going to allow you to investigate, however I wanted to inform Osu that you had heard a reply," he stated. Kate hummed, she could understand his sense of duty but needed to do this alone. "Suran, not now, I will inform him," she stated.

The Aide nodded before looking back at the PADD on the table, "What is the location of the meet?" he asked. Kate smirked, "Its a Rave called the Crystal Palace, I went once with Amanda, it's quite the place. He's expecting me a quarter to midnight, which leaves the rest," she said with a hint of irritation. The whole part about games confused her, whoever was contacting her was good at coding the rest of the message. As far as she knew there weren't games at the Crystal Palace, it was just a Rave.

With a sigh she sat down and slipped her fingers through her hair in an attempt to remember something important. "Amanda," she shouted as she clapped her hands together. Suran looked confused once more, "Amanda would know, the rest, she has been clubbing longer than I have," she stated as she opened a link and prayed Amanda was still on Earth or at least in range. Suran stared at the screen of the PADD as she waited for a connection.

A young man answered, he was shirtless and glistened in the light. He was out of breath and shimmering ebony skin, his eyes were an electric blue and he had bleached blonde hair. "Hey Kai, I'm looking for Amanda," she started quickly. Kai blinked and looked at her, "Oh this is Suran, he's the Aide to Ambassador Soval, look I really need to speak to her," Kate said in a rush. Kai sighed and looked over his shoulder, "Okay, give me a sec," he stated as he placed the PADD on a stand.

Kate stared at the scene before her. Amanda was wearing a sports bra and a pair of baggy purple pants. Her long brown hair was tied behind her hair and she wore a pair of soft black shoes. The music echoed in the room as she moved, her feet sliding across the floor as she continued to move. There was the sound of a guitar echoing in the background and Kate watched as Amanda spun on one foot before doing a backflip, she smiled as she watched her best friend move. "Thanks for the memories, why does it sound like my cover?" asked Kate.

Suran stared at the woman and asked, "Cover?" Kate hummed and nodded before clarifying, "A cover is a version of a song that was recorded by another person and not the artist, it's often modified." Suran nodded and she watched as he seemed to listen more intently, "You're singing?" he asked. Kate nodded and added, "I play guitar too. It's different from a violin but cheaper to get my hands on." She didn't want to tell him what had happened to her violin, and oddly he didn't question her.

Amanda slid across the floor on her knees before rising, she looked at the PADD and squeaked, "Kate!" In seconds the brunet was standing before them, her chest was heaving and she looked just as strong as she had when they were in school. "Hey Am, I need your help with something," she said. Amanda hummed before shouting over her shoulder, "YO KAI! CUT THE TRACK!" Silence followed the command and Kate smirked, as always Amanda had control over him. Kai had been a friend of theirs for years and was an excellent weapons specialist, it didn't take long for Amanda to befriend him, only to learn he was a little gay. Not that she cared, it just meant she had a dance partner who wasn't trying to get into her pants.

Amanda collected the pad and sat down on one of the many cushions that typically covered the studio floor. "So, what can I do?" Kate smirked as she sent a portion of the text, as always Amanda looked over it and replied, "Well the first part and last part are easy, he wasn't you to wear red lipstick and a red choker in the end, and the beginning is the meeting place and time," as always she was on point. She scowled and Kate could tell she was looking at the middle of the text, "The middle though, wait, he's meeting you at the Crystal Palace?" she asked. Kate nodded and stated with a great deal of ire, "Amanda we figured that out and you just confirmed it!"

The brunet shook her head, "No I know what he's talking about. It's not a game per say. It's a cocktail!" she chimed. Kate and Suran looked at one another, a drink, that was the big code, "Probably something like a Russian Roulette," she mused. Kate remembered the one cocktail she had never tried but desired to, "Or a Blackjack," she mused. Amanda nodded and instantly she understood the message, he was going to wait at the bar and the drinks were the code. "Thanks Amanda," Kate chirped quickly only for Amanda to shout, "Hold it. If you got this coded message, it could be dangerous. Shouldn't you talk to someone?" she asked.

The young blonde crossed her arms and replied, "I did, I told Suran, look I don't want anyone to panic until I understand the situation." Amanda huffed as she crossed her arms. She wasn't amused, which honestly wasn't anything new. Amanda was the type that wanted to play it safe, she didn't jump like this. "Fine, just watch yourself," she stated. Kate nodded and replied, "Will do."

Suran looked at her and stated, "I will not lie to Osu." Of course he wouldn't it wasn't a very Vulcan thing to do, to lie. "I'm not asking you to," Kate replied simply as she got up and picked up her items, "I'm asking you to avoid a situation where he asks about me." Suran looked uncomfortable and she was well aware of what she was asking of him, but needed him to understand just how important this was.

The Vulcan nodded before rising, "I will not tell him, unless he asks. However please note that I see this as unwise. It would be better to tell him," he stated. Kate stared at the Vulcan who was now before her, he was wrapped in brown robes with an orange one under it. His blue eyes were narrowed as though he were chastising a child. "I know, but this is something I have to do. He has enough to worry about," she stated as she rose to her full height. "Worry is an emotion," he pointed out. Kate chuckled, she knew it was but had a feeling he would feel it despite his self-discipline.

Kate watched Suran leave, and her eyes fell on the sketch of the Ambassador. It consisted of shades of black and white, the only mid point between them being gray. If only the world were so simple, for black to be black and white to be white. Yet, like the drawing it wasn't, everything was simply gray, making things far more difficult to understand.

With little thought she snatched the PADD from the table and left for her quarters, she had to get ready for a little meeting, and she wasn't about to tell Soval. He had instructed her to sleep, something she wasn't interested in, she had to solve the case. She would have plenty of time to sleep when she was dead. After all, with the world being shades of gray she had to make sure she had selected the right shade.


	6. Beautiful Nightmares

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: **_Enterprise_**, it is property of Paramount Pictures and it's creators: Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Katharine Forrest and Suran were inspired by characters created by **_Sensera_** and Fameanon's **_Ginie_** and Sorak. Any parallels between the works with this one were unintentional. **_

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Beautiful Nightmares <strong>

Weapons signatures are unique to each type of race, it was customary for different ports to scan for weapons on ships, especially from merchants hailing from planets which were considered adversaries. Each and every reading was identical to the Vulcan weapons found on high class ships. It was frustrating in many ways, so mush so that even the typically well controlled mind of the Vulcan Ambassador was plunged into chaos. The Vulcan Science Academy had sent him their findings and much to their confusion, as well as his own, the signatures matched and were authentic.

Ambassador Soval strode out of his office; meditation would have been the solution if he could focus enough. "Ambassador Soval," called a familiar voice, the Ambassador turned around to see Admiral Gardner. He stood motionless, his hands at his sides as he watched the Admiral trot over to him. Unlike Max, Gardner was well groomed and always looked the part of a diplomat. He was the kind of man with soft hands, as many humans referred to them, and Soval had become accustomed to the man's insistent chatter. Gardner stopped before Soval, "I was hoping to catch you, things have been difficult recently," he stated. Soval began to walk and had a feeling Gardner was going to following him until he was in the privet residence.

Soval clasped his hands before himself and replied, "It has been a challenge, we are currently investigating the nature of these scans," his tone was even and he was careful to watch his phrasing. Gardner had a tendency to misinterpret him, like many humans, except Max and Major Forrest. Gardner nodded and continued, "Of course, naturally we are interested as well. However, we aren't too keen on allowing the tension between the rest of the Collation and Vulcan to continue."

The Vulcan Ambassador paused and looked over at Gardner who was sporting a rather sincere expression, "I assure you, we are doing all we are able in order to determine what has been occurring. The rest of the Collation need not concern themselves with our affairs," he stated. Gardner snorted, it was a sound which no Vulcan would ever make them, it was unfitting. His eyes narrowed slightly, Gardner didn't believe him. "Typically I would agree, only recently our readings from your ships have been the same, you are carrying weapons on board you shouldn't," was the Admiral rebuttal.

To this the Ambassador stopped entirely, in a swift motion he was facing Gardner, "That is a steep accusation Admiral, for which you will need evidence to prove your claim," he said stiffly. Gardner held up a PADD, his dark eyes unyielding, "I have it. Look I hate doing this but the rest of the Collation is nervous, it isn't a mystery after the Xindi attack that you guys would be armed to the teeth, and with what had occurred with V'Las." Soval stared at the human before him, each of those statements was meant to irritate him, to produce a reaction that would further harm the reputation of Vulcan.

He wasn't about to give this human his, satisfaction. He was a Vulcan and despite his inability to meditate currently, he wasn't about to allow for such a rise to occur. "What is it that you are suggesting?" asked the Ambassador coolly. Gardner sighed as he looked at Soval, his eyes held no fear, and there was a certain darkness behind them, making the Ambassador wonder just what was occurring. "I'm suggesting that until you are able to sort this mess out, that you withdraw from the Collation," Gardner replied sternly. It wasn't a suggestion, this was a veiled order.

To pull out of the Collation would cause a great deal of trouble for Earth. The Klingons were already showing interest in attacking the planet and without their presence, it would be impossible for Earth to be protected. By pulling out of the Collation, he would be sent back to Vulcan, even if it were temporary. There was little he could do, yet the larger part of the issue was that nearly every member of the Collation was also a major trade partner. If he were to withdraw, he would loose his ability to negotiate trade and could sink Vulcan into an economic depression- something that hadn't occurred in over five thousand years.

"No," stated the Ambassador, "Vulcan will not withdraw from the Collation."

His statement echoed through the golden halls of the Consulate resulting in a number of staff members to stare at him. "We agreed to serve as a potential ally for Earth, as well as a guide to the stars. We are not about to break such promise," he stated, his voice began elevating without his consent. "This issue is one which we will deal with, the rest of the Collation has nothing to fear, unless they are behind our misfortune," he finished with a hint of finality in his voice. He wasn't going to be told by a mere human what he was able to do and what was best for his people. He was Vulcan, and he knew what his people needed.

Soval pivoted, his robes billowed as he did so and began to walk toward the residence, "By the way, I was wondering, why Ensign Sparrow would send a sketch to us from here, she's a science officer after all. It's a bit strange," he stated. Soval paused mid-step, "What's even more unusual is the reroute address, it was accessed here several hours ago, and it certainly wasn't Ensign Sparrow." Ensign Sparrow had delivered information to T'Vok, yet he was speaking of a sketch, the only person he knew that would have something to do with a sketch was Major Forrest.

He faced Gardner and responded, "I do not know what events you speak of, however you should tend to, as you frequently say, your own house and I will tend to mine." Soval was quick to change his coarse, he needed to find the Major and the one person who would know where she was regardless of time was Suran. While Gardner hadn't accused her, there was something too convenient, Kate was the one with a sketch and somehow she had managed to get a hold of Sparrow's PADD.

Major Forrest had been working on the sketch for a while, and he was well aware that she wasn't getting through to the division she needed to. Yet, the way Gardner was making open accusations about his position as well as hers was more than enough evidence that something far more complex was occurring. The economic slump on Vulcan was alarming, and if the rest of the planet in the collation felt uncomfortable with trade, it could cause even more harm. Their society was fragile, revolution was still fresh and there were plenty of Elders who would enjoy watching him and Kuvak fail. They had worked hard to bring Vulcan out of darkness an into the light. Yet, this string of events could crush them.

Soval stood before Suran's desk and noticed the Vulcan was working on a transcription. "Suran, I need the most recent data on our markets as well as trade," he commanded. His planet first, he would deal with Kate after he had what he needed. Suran quickly pulled the data and handed him a PADD, "I have been told by Admiral Gardner that the rest of the planets in the Collation do not wish to have us an ally due to recent events," he remarked. Suran froze and immediately looked up at him, shock was written on his face. Shock which Soval was still feeling, "What will you do Osu?"

The Ambassador hummed as he replied, "I have no intention of leaving the Collation, it would be counter productive to our desire of making allies with not only Earth but the other planets as well."

Suran nodded as he looked to his monitor, "Where is Major Forrest?" asked Soval. His Aide froze and he watched the man's body tense. "Major Forrest is out for the evening, meeting someone," he replied. Soval's eyes narrowed, he remembered telling her that she had the evening off, but didn't think she would go on a date with what had been occurring, or going out for that matter. "What kind of meeting?" asked Soval, Suran was keeping something from him, and he had this unusual feeling in the back of his mind that Kate was up to something, and he was even more uncomfortable than usual.

"Information," was Suran's reply and immediately Soval put the PADD aside. Anger was beginning to coalesce behind his barriers, "Tell me what you know," he commanded.

~vOv~

Pulse, it's the sound of life. It's infectious, primitive and enough to drive even the most evolved individual to a primal urge. The pulse, a natural force which music often emulated.

The music pulsed as lights flickered through the building. The windows seemed to shake and the sound of laughter filled the room. Liquors of every color splayed across the counter in classes of every imaginable shape, size and finish. Kate waded through the crowd of women who didn't seem to really be wearing anything, and men who threw on jeans that were so constricting she wondered how they were even comfortable. Her stilettos clicked as she walked across the floor, her hips swaying to the infectious beat and she lifted her arms above her head in an attempt to be inconspicuous, that and it was a powerful house jam.

Her blue eyes glanced around the room, searching for her contact. Her blonde hair fell about her like an unruly mane, she had attempted to tame it only to realize it was impossible. Her blonde hair was lush and seemed to be even wilder. A pair of skin tight black faux leather pants hugged her curves, leaving nothing to the imagination. She swept a strand of hair behind her ear, an intricate ear wrap of scroll work in silver winked in the light as she did so.

Wrapped around her torso was a cream colored women's jawbreaker sweater, it was baggy around the waste and fell off her shoulders. She loved the netting, it showed skin and at the same time obscured it. She had selected an emerald green tank-top to wear under it; it was tight and seemed to give her body dimension. It wasn't a traditional clubbing outfit, but in her opinion it got the job done. She had received more than a few lingering glances. It also helped that she was in top condition. She had her jacket with the valet near the door as well as the helmet to her bike.

Red lips parted slightly as she continued to look for her contact, he had stated he knew something and the sketch had sparked his interest. He had all but hinted that he had information which she might find helpful. She had been asked to wear a bright red band around her neck. She had to search for a man wearing a bright red scarf of the same shade. She continued to glance around until her eyes fell on the bright red article. It stood out against the cool tones of the bar and immediately she knew just who it was.

Kate sauntered over, her hips swinging thanks to the stilettos and took her place with a customer between her and the mark. Now all she had to do was order a cocktail, it was a classic that few knew even existed. She held up two fingers to flag down the bartender, she leaned against the counter and flashed a lopsided smile. The young bartender stepped before her; he was polishing a glass as she did so. He was so preoccupied that he didn't make eye contact until he had finished his task.

The young brunets eyes widened a fraction as he looked at her, the glass he was polishing nearly slipped from his fingers, she was about to inquire what was wrong until she watched his eyes roam over he body. She internally rolled her eyes, he saw beautiful women all day and yet he was acting as though he had never seen one. She decided to indulge him and leaned against the counter so he got a clear view of her cleavage. Kate wasn't a moron, she knew she was attractive and in this instance was going to use it to get what she wanted.

The bartender set the glass aside and swallowed, "M-May I help you?" he stammered. She chuckled as she leaned back and looked him over teasingly, "I'll have a Blackjack," she ordered. The Bartender stared at her for a moment and looked to the guy beside him. Obviously he had no idea how to make one. "I've got this," said a lush voice. Kate watched as a man with white hair walked over, he had crimson eyes and nearly translucent skin. His lips curled as he picked up a silver shaker.

"Like risks?" asked a voice from beside her. Kate looked over to see a young man with dark curly hair sitting beside her, the man separating them had left. He had piercing green eyes, and a well trimmed beard. His nose was Romanesque with a chiseled jaw. He was tall with broad shoulders and Kate looked him over to see a bright red scarf around his neck, he was her mark and she wished it was in more than one way than one.

Her lips curled as she watched him jump to the barstool beside her, "Calculated ones, yes," she replied as she turned her attention to him. The young man shrugged and flagged down another bartender, "Russian Roulette and don't forget to load the gun," he stated. Kate smiled now she just needed his remark, "I tend to like something less predictable." She hummed as she watched the bartender out of the corner of her eye mix the Kailua coffee liquor with Dewar's Scotch Whiskey.

"Not entirely true, you can still calculate the chances of being shot," she stated. Her mark chuckled as he was presented with the glass before the bartender struck a match and lit the liquid. She watched the blue flames glow and he replied, "Yeah, the odds are always the same, but there's no real strategy to get out of it, after all, you never know which round is your last." With that her cocktail was placed before her, she could smell the combination of coffee, oranges and lemons as well as a touch of earthy whiskey.

She watched him extinguish the Russian Roulette and knock it back with the ease of an experienced drinker. The two bartenders left and the mark hummed, "Let's move to a table," he stated. Kate naturally complied, knowing all to well that such sensitive information could cause even more trouble. She followed him to a table off to the side and took a seat across from him. The music was still blaring and she strained to hear him. Once he was seated he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sphere.

The man leaned forward as though he were flirting with her and whispered, "Place you hand on the table palm up," his voice was like velvet, yet didn't have the same affect as the controlled tones of Ambassador Soval or Suran on her. She looked at him in confusion as she did as he asked. The young man placed the sphere in her palm and pressed several buttons on it. The small silver orb opened up and a blue light emanated from it.

"What are you?" she began to ask, only to realize she wasn't shouting over the music, and that it had actually dimmed in volume. He smirked and looked at her, "Giving us a little privacy," he stated as he winked. Kate was nearly gaping, "They can't hear us, the only see us chatting and are being given the impression I'm flirting with you. We can hear one another, since the ambiance around us is dimmed," he stated.

Kate looked at the small orb in her hand and wondered if the Vulcan's possessed such a devise. It would certainly be beneficial. The young man before her noticed her expression, "I have several of them, you can keep that one, who knows it may come in handy. To use it just press the button on top, the thing is the other person has to have one on the same frequency," he confessed. Blue eyes narrowed, that didn't sound convenient, and part of her wondered how he was able to hear her until she realized he probably had a master one. "What if I only have the one?" she asked.

The brunet leaned back and hummed, "Easy, you two have to be touching or with in three feet of one another, like we are now." Kate looked at the device and had a feeling this wasn't the first time she would see technology like this, it was honestly a little larger than an average sized marble. She picked up her drink and pretended to take a sip, "Your sketch rang a couple bells this afternoon, to be honest I thought the place was going to go up in flames," he mused. His expression turned sincere and she noticed the lines around his eyes that aged him, he wasn't as young as he looked, that much was certain.

She had sent the sketch to star fleet, and yet now she was hearing that it was actually causing a great deal of distress. "We have been attempting to track a faction of radicals, calling themselves Terra Prime," he began, "They've been around for a LONG time. In fact, your father was the first person to start the investigation." Kate set her glass on the table and stared at him, her eyes wide, she didn't know of this. Her father was daring but all she knew was that he had visited Vulcan on official business before his death. He had been attempting to build a stronger relationship with the Vulcan High Command, at first it appeared to be out of peace. However, now it seemed as though it were something else, what it was, she didn't know. Yet, to hear this now, "When?" she asked swiftly, there was no way the trip was a coincidence.

The man before her looked at the table, searching his memory before responding, "Five years ago, about three months before he left for Vulcan. I don't know the details, that's just when his final log into the file was." Three months before he had left for Vulcan, she closed her eyes in an attempt to remember his demeanor, only to find a wall there. It was strange, she couldn't remember. She almost always remembered events such as this and yet this she couldn't do. "Russian, tell me something, what was in the file?" she asked.

The Russian chuckled, "I suppose it's an apt name since I did order a Russian Roulette, Blackjack," he stated, "It was extensive, the point is that the sketch you sent us. The man you injured in the alley, he was in it."

There was a pause as she began to process this information; she had shot someone in the file that her father had created, someone they had been hunting. "I don't know how the fuck you managed it, but you shot one of the people we've been searching for, for over a year," Russian stated, "The guy has been a shadow on the wall." Shadows, impossible to catch but ever present, "How do you know it was him?" she asked with irritation. She didn't know a single shadow that stepped off the wall and screamed it's identity.

Long fingers swept through curly brown hair as green eyes flickered nervously over to her drink. "Remember that bombing six years ago in Manhattan at the UN building, while several off-worlder delegations were visiting?" he asked. The event was massive and resulted in the loss of 3,200 lives. The shockwaves shook the galactic community to the core and resulted in general distrust between humans and other species. 3,200 innocent people were killed in the blast, the explosive was believed to be a modified plasma charge, that utilized the basic premise of a nuclear weapon, but restrained enough so it only took out the UN. The damage was massive, it had taken out not only the UN but three blocks with it. She could still remember the fires, the rubble and her professor's expression of pure panic as students were instructed to get to a safe location. That same day a threat had been made against UC Berkley.

"Yes, how could anyone forget?" she asked.

"You'd be surprised," he replied sardonically.

She was silent as she waited for him to continue, "The man you shot, and the one you sketched, are the same one who had placed the bomb in the building. You managed to injure Alec Milton," he clasped his hands before him and continued, "We have been searching medical facilities, but he hadn't appeared. Whatever was going to occur in that alley, there's no way it was a coincidence." A sinking feeling filled Kate as she looked at the man before her. If he was in the alley, then the entire series of events wasn't coincidence and not only were the Vulcan's in danger but also every alien delegation on earth. This wasn't just a mugging or angry individual, this was an assassination attempt, but a radical group.

Shifting into professionalism, abandoning her drink, she asked, "What do we know of Terra Prime?" The Russian sighed as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a silver chain with a large crystal on it, "I can't tell you, in fact, I'm not even supposed to be meeting you. If I wasn't meeting with you, I wouldn't tell you to look at this. If I were going to help you I wouldn't state that you need to find your father's files," he stated as he pushed the necklace toward her, his eyes determined and she was about to question him when she noticed the white haired bartender was staring at them, and the orb wasn't glowing. "I won't even begin to tell you that the best thing to do, is to drop this entire thing and force the Ambassador off Earth," he stated, "Those are just things I can't say."

He dropped the pendant in her hand it was heavy in her palm. Curious blue eyes fell on the clear stone hanging from a silver chain, it was massive and looked to be several karats, in many ways it if it was a diamond it would be worth a fortune if it was. Before she could even say a word he was gone, and resting in his place was a card with his number, she looked at it and nearly gaped. She had been speaking with Commander Nathanial Stark, designer of the USS Enterprise. How he had even gotten the file was even more confusing. He shouldn't have even been in that area of the mainframe and yet he had been.

After a moment of debate, she put the necklace on and shoved the card in her pocket. She didn't understand what she was supposed to do, he had eluded to giving her the files and instead he had shoved the necklace at her, it made no sense. Kate swiped her credit stick at the table and began to walk out of the club, the music was droning on and yet all her desire to party had fled. Her mind was now enveloped in a new set of problems, the person she shot in the alley, hadn't appeared in a medical attention center and her father was after these men. Yet just why her father had gone to Vulcan made no sense, especially after three months when he had known about the case for eight. Things weren't adding up.

Kate picked up her jacket and helmet from a kid in the front before leaving the building. The cold air licked her skin; it sent a shiver down her spine as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she walked over to her bike, her mind wandering back to the conversation as she did so. Stark had left so promptly that it was as though someone had forced him. She shook her head as she mounted her bike and turned the key, it roared to life after a moment. Nothing made sense, how Stark got the information was beyond her, he was a ship designer, not an investigator.

She slipped her helmet over her head and tugged at the zipper of her jacket one more time, she had slipped into it on her way out the door. It was then she felt the hairs on her neck stand up, she was being watched. Kate pulled out of the parking lot with ease, she didn't want to alert whoever it was that she knew. At first she considered it paranoia, and would have dismissed it, until she pulled into traffic and noticed a black motorcycle tailing her. It was the perfect distance, far enough to be considered inconspicuous to those who weren't trained and close enough to keep her within their scope.

Even in the reflections she knew the motorcycle didn't have plates, which meant it the rider didn't want to be followed. Alarm bells sounded in her mind as she swiftly formulated a plan. She had to get out of traffic where she was in the open. She had to reach the Consulate, her turf. After all, there was no way to tell if the rider was alone or working with a team.

Kate waited until a large flitter pulled between her and her tale. Her eyes lifted to a stop light and with little warning she gunned it as soon as it changed. With grace she began weaving through traffic, not a hint of fear swept across her mind as she did so, there wasn't room for fear, she had to get to the consulate. She had to get off the street.

There was a roar and immediately she noted the black motorcycle attempting to catch up. She shifted rapidly and made a hasty exit, she was going to cut through the park. With ease she jumped the red bike onto the sidewalk, it's tired screeched as she did a quick turn. She could smell the rubber burning from her tires as she took off down the sidewalk. Her body arched as she pressed herself closer into the bike in order to increase the aerodynamics of it. With a quick turn, she passed through a pair of large iron gates, which had kept the city out of the park and entered a dark realm of trees.

While it wasn't legal to ride her bike in the park she could pull out her ID, and if she were pulled over she knew she would be safe. At least she hoped she was, yet, the words of Stark rung in her ears. The bomber got into the UN which meant someone had to check him in. Suddenly the option of relying on the police was null and void.

The sound of the two bikes tearing through the park echoed, it ripped through the once serene air. A cloud of dirt followed them, as their tires tore into the pathways and once well-manicured lawns. The trees were a blur, all she could focus on was the narrow path which was dimly lit with basic chemical lamps, they were inexpensive and gave off little light. It was one of the many reasons why people avoided the park at night, at least the portion near the bay, the closer to the bridge the more people seemed to flock to it.

She cut across the lawn, her bike kicking up dirt as she did so, only to hear the signature sound of a phaser being fired. With a growl of iteration she quickly turned the bike and made for the dense trees, "Let's see how good your aim is," she hissed as she began dodging trees, stumps, down branches and rocks. It was pointless to fire back, especially since she was at the disadvantage. She would have to twist around to fire and that was, as Soval would point out, illogical.

The rider tailing her continued firing, with each shot he seemed to hit even closer to his mark. She noticed a shot whiz past her shoulder and hit a tree near her head, he was getting too close. Kate felt her heart pounding as her MACO training kicked in, she had to get out of danger. If she was to be of any use to Soval she had to be alive, and that was a simple fact. The Consulate was across the bridge, which in order to reach the bridge she had to get out of the park in less than four minutes. She shifted once again as she jumped off a knoll and continued through the trees before jumping onto a bicycle path. Her eyes narrowed as she attempted to break past a number of benches and oddly individuals out cycling.

"MOVE!" she shouted as the phaser was again discharged, resulting in screams from the pedestrians. Just as she rounded another corner she was close to an exit, and she could hear the other bike getting closer. Pedestrians were fleeing as soon as they noticed her. It was a massive commotion, everyone was attempting to get away at the same time, men and women of all ages were scrambling to get away. They were so alarmed and had all decided to exit at once, which resulted in a bottleneck forming.

She really hated the average citizen, especially since there was only one way to get out of the park and due to the panic they were now blocking it. Men, women and a few teenagers were pushing against the fences in an attempt to get out of the way. Kate grit her teeth, that was the issue with firing into civilians, they tended to flee and not think about the result of this action.

Her blue eyes frantically searched for another way out, and then she spotted it, a tow truck with a down ramp. The sound of police sirens filled the air, and she knew in moments she had to get out. Kate wheeled around and set herself up for a jump, she knew the odds were slim, but she wasn't getting out of this without making a break for it. The jump was difficult because of the train tracks just outside of them, the train was a hover train that had been put in several years ago. It was fast, but the issue was it created a deep gap.

Kate's hands tightened on the handlebars, this was her one shot and she could hear the other rider coming. It was then she heard the screech of the train, now she knew what she had to do. Major Forrest sped toward the ramp and several people shouted, jumping out of her way and even a few telling her to stop. The issue was, if she stopped, she had a feeling things wouldn't end well for her, or the pedestrians. The bike bounded over the surface of the trailer, she leaned forward in an attempt to maintain her balance thanks to the incline. She had a single shot to get out.

Several shots were fired in her direction, screams split the air as onlookers witness the jump. Yet she couldn't hear a sound, all she could do was feel her tires leave the bed of the tow truck and begin to soar. The air rushed past her as she descended from the zenith of the jump, only now did she begin to pray that she had managed to time it right. Just as she was about to prepare for death the train appeared, it speed under her and Kate smiled as she felt the tires of her motorcycle make contact with it's roof. The metal whined as she did so. Her tires screeched as she stopped, and her heart, which had been pounding only then began to slow. Her blue eyes flickered back to the gaze, searching for the rider, only he wasn't present. It was as though he hadn't even existed. She got away, the issue was she had no idea who from.

The train continued its path until it made it to its next stop, which she was more than happy to get off of, now she just had to cross the bridge and she was home free. Whoever had been tailing her was a professional, there was no way it was a rookie, and they were too good. The spacing was perfect, the shots were very accurate despite the speeds they were going and it was too suspicious to be a separate event, especially after what she had learned from Stark.

The Golden Gate Bridge was empty and Kate took the liberty of speeding to the Consulate, she had no desire to stay out too long. She needed to figure out what was going on and in order to do that she needed to gain access to Star Fleet, or at least stay one place long enough to live another day. It wasn't that she feared she couldn't protect herself, there was simply something telling her to wait until she knew more. She didn't like the notion of jumping into a battle blind, it unnerved her. She had to know everything about an enemy before engaging them, and since these people were invisible even to her father, that meant she had a whole lot more to do.

The consulate rose out of the street, and it's usually foreboding façade was welcoming after the eventful evening she had. All she could do now was hope Soval was asleep, or meditating, both of which meant she would avoid him entirely.

Major Forrest pulled her motorcycle into the garage and looked over the scrapes, she would have to apply another coat of paint and look more closely in the morning. Currently she had more pressing matters to attend to, such as determine just what she had learned in the club. With ease she left the privet garage and headed toward the privet residence. Soval would be deep in meditation, which meant the odds of her running into him were slim to none. He always retired at the same time every evening for a long session of meditation, and in light of recent events she couldn't blame him. Suran had explained it was how Soval kept himself in check, and he had to do it for both their sake and his own.

Her footsteps echoed in the darkness, most of the staff of the Consulate were either asleep or meditating. She had learned that many didn't work constantly and often retired in the evenings to speak with family and the like. Not that she minded, she really didn't want them to question her where-abouts. After slipping through the privet gardens she arrived at the private residence of the Ambassador. It was only then the soreness in her body was catching up to her.

Jumping her motorcycle onto the moving train wasn't the greatest idea, but it was really her only means of escape. At least, it was in that moment. Kate opened the front door and slowly slipped through it, attempting to make as little noise as possible. With grace she slipped out of her stilettos and picked them up, she felt the cool necklace swing as she did so, hitting her collarbone. It was a reminder that she had to figure out what it was, Stark had acted as though it were the most valuable thing in the room. It was a large crystal, but she doubted it was a diamond, there was no way he would be willing to give it to a stranger.

Kate collected her heels in an attempt to make it look as though she hadn't left, oddly the image of her being in high school and sneaking back into her house hit her. It wasn't too far from it, considering how tight of a leash the Ambassador had kept her on. He had stated he wanted to get rid of her, and yet today, he didn't. Instead he told her to rest, although she had given him grounds to fire her. She shook her head as she began to walk through the house.

Her eyes scanned the room in the dark, Soval didn't move his furniture, which she was thankful for, after all she could barely see and didn't feel like flipping over it. Her toes hit the plush carpet of the living room and she smiled she was close to getting to the stairs so she would be able to get to the second floor where she slept. Just as she was about to continue the lights flickered on, a click was heard from the other side of the room. The brightness of them assaulted her eyes. In seconds her phaser was out and she was aimed at the threat, which was where the clicking sound originated from. Just as her vision cleared she realized it wasn't an intruder.

Sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, with his arms crossed was the one person she hoped would be asleep. He rose from the wooden chair and stood, his full height towering over her. He wasn't wearing his robe and was dressed in a simple dove gray tunic and matching pants. Chocolate brown eyes narrowed, and she could practically feel the anger radiating off him. Kate lowered her weapon and swallowed thickly, "Ambassador Soval," she squeaked. He took a step toward her, it was then she noticed he was barefoot; his feet were the same dark olive color, with a hint of green just under the skin.

He stopped before her, "Major Forrest," his tone was clipped and made Kate take a step back.

~vOv~

Green, that was the only color he could see, the green flames of rage had engulfed his vision. Not only had she not obeyed him, but she had left the Consulate for a dangerous meeting, at a Rave – one of the unsafe places in the world for a woman of her appearance – and wore such an outfit out. Not to mention the fact that she didn't have a communicator so he had no way to contact her, on top of the issue that she may have committed several crimes to get there. Angry was a word to describe his current condition, livid, however- that was certainly a word for it.

His eyes roved over her outfit, nothing was left to the imagination, people had seen her dressed in such a way. They had been able to gaze at her skin and breasts, to see her figure in such an intimate and unguarded way. As he took another step closer he smelt liquor, and the cologne of another man. "Where were you?" he ground out. He had enough, he had allowed her to do a great deal but not only had she been accused of breaking the law but she had participated in wild behavior that was risky. She could have put them all at risk.

Sky blue eyes that were as deep as the ocean widened, as her completion paled. "You have put us in danger. I was visited by Admiral Gardner today. He mentioned someone using another individual's IP address to send a sketch and reroute information," he stated, his tone growing even harsher as he spoke. He felt his control slipping, "You preach that you desire to protect me, and yet," he seethed, the image of her being with another man flashed in his head, "yet, you have done something this reckless," he seethed. Kate opened her mouth to speak and yet, no words fell from her lips. His eyes flickered down to the necklace and then back to her face, she had at least been compensated.

His hands clenched and Kate drew a deep breath, "Ambassador, I suggest you get your temper under control," she stated. Soval stared in shock, she had the gall to tell him what he was to do. He was about to shout when he noticed her tremble before him, "Sir, you are not sound. You need to relax," she pleaded. Soval could hear her voice only he didn't seem to have the will to snuff out his anger, the flames were wrapping around his mind. "Please, Soval," she begged.

Soval, she had used his name. He froze in confusion, as she called again, "Soval, please, you must relax." He slowly felt the flames dying down, as something soothing ran over his skin. His temper was dying down and the green seemed to fade into the darkness from which it came. As his vision seemed to clear he found himself gripping her arms harshly, yet she wasn't squirming, her face was twisted in pain and his eyes fell on a small hand wrapped around once of his wrists. Only then did he note she shook as a leaf in the powerful winds of a storm would.

With a hiss, he released her, as though she had burned him, even though she had been the one to put out the fire. He stepped back and stared at the bruises that were quickly forming on her arms, he had made them. They were the same size and shape of his hands, he had harmed her. "I," he began only to feel shame envelope him, he was so angry over the prospect of her being harmed that in his blindness he had harmed her himself. His eyes fell on his hands, only to see one of her delicate hands slipping into them, she was nervous and wondered if this was the right thing to do since Vulcan's didn't like physical contact.

He allowed her hands to rest on his as he closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, pushing away his irritation. His mind slowly cleared as he did so, it was clear enough for him to function, and that was what had mattered. "Soval," whispered Kate, concern lacing her voice, along with notes of fear and pain. He slowly opened his eyes and found himself looking into the sky. "Major Forrest," he addressed her with as much professionalism as he could muster in that moment.

She slowly withdrew her hands with a small smile, oddly he wasn't going to berate her for her behavior, after all it had prevented him from causing her more harm. "Where were you?" he implored once more, he had to hear it from her. He trusted Suran, but if she lied to him now, he would determine if he could keep her. He watched an expression of discomfort cross her features.

"I was at the Crystal Palace, a Rave," she replied slowly, "I had received a reply on the sketch." He eyed her form only to notice how stiff she seemed, and could tell it wasn't only fear. "Sit, I will brew us some tea," he commanded. She was in no position to fight him and from the way she looked and moved she was in pain. Kate nodded as she placed her shoes on the floor and sat on the sofa, he watched it dip as she did so.

It wasn't until she had closed her eyes for a moment that he truly took a moment to admire her. His eyes roamed over her creamy skin, her soft facial features and lush curves. Her body was toned and he could tell she spent a significant amount time at the gym. The green top under the cream sweater made her glow. Even though the sweater seemed more like a fisherman's net, it was quite appealing to look at. He loved being able to see her skin. His eyes traced her curves to her hips, it was then he noted the faux leather pants, they were tight and clung to her like a second skin. It was also a fact that they matched the jacket she wore, although he had a feeling they were bought separately. The strand of red ribbon around her neck was the same deep shade of blood and reminded him of it, a daring move.

A silver chain winked in the light, with a massive clear stone attached to it. The stone was an impressive size and it's clarity spoke of only one stone he knew on Earth with the same characteristic shine, a diamond. Whoever she had met with, he was certainly wealthy and the relationship must have been a few months old.

Soval pushed such thoughts out of his head as he walked into the kitchen and began to boil water. It didn't take long for him to make tea, he had settled on one with a muscle relaxant in it, in hopes she would sleep with its aid. When he returned he noticed how she was curled up on the sofa. The bruises were now turning a dark blue and he cringed. Just as he placed the mug on the coffee table did she open her eyes and look up at him. "Thanks," she breathed after a moment, he watched her stretch and was reminded of a cat as she did so. Her motions were familiar, as though they were a forgotten dream, one of beauty and grace.

She collected the mug and held it tightly in her hands as she brought her legs under her, perching on the Sofa. "Why did you go there?" he asked, before taking a sip of tea. He watched over the rim as Kate looked into the mug of golden brown liquid. "Information, I was contacted after the sketch by an unknown individual. I attempted to track him down through his address, but it was a false account," she stated, "I didn't tell you because I wanted to make sure it was real before notifying you." Soval was silent, she had gone to get information, which made him tense, but not as much as the thought of her looking for a partner for the evening.

She took a sip of the liquid, "Did you learn anything?" he asked curiously. Kate huffed in frustration and growled, "Yes and no." How something was considered both a success and a failure often confused him, especially how humans responded to things. "The man I shot was a member of a group called Terra Prime, they are a terrorist group who's primary goal is to force aliens off Earth," she stated. Soval stared, Max's words flashed back to him and he felt his blood go cold. His best friend's prediction was coming true, despite his best efforts to prevent it.

Kate ignored his silence and continued, "Remember the bombing of the UN in Manhattan a few years ago? The man in the sketch placed the bomb."

Soval immediately jumped in, "In order for that to have happened someone must have known him, or at least had some idea of what he was up to with a package of that nature," he stated. Kate nodded, this was now a serious issue, it meant that not even the police could be trusted. The police, who were in so many ways the keepers of peace on Earth, could also be enemies. "His name was Alec Milton, Star Fleet has been searching medical facilities, but hasn't found him. Even though I shot him," she stated.

If this man wasn't found he had disappeared underground, to the point that Star Fleet wouldn't be able to track him down. What was worse was that despite the man's injury he hadn't been reported to any medical facility, which meant they had a doctor of their own. He doubted someone of his nature wouldn't have one. "This is concerning, if he is a member of Terra Prime the other delegates will be in danger as well," he stated, this wasn't good, it was bad enough there was trade tension, but for tension on Earth due to tension between themselves and humans would only cause more problems.

He looked at the pendant around her neck and asked, "What else did you learn?" Kate slowly touched the necklace before reaching around the back to take it off. "My father knew they existed, he had known for a while. In fact, three months before he left for Vulcan, he was the one who opened the investigation," she replied. Max, Soval knew Max had known, however he didn't understand why he had learned of it so late, or the fact that it had taken Max three months to consider aid from them.

It wasn't right, in fact, it was confusing. Max was the type of man to seek assistance when the situation called for it and had no issue asking for it. Why he hadn't been asked for aid, or anyone else for that matter, was beyond him. Especially when their lives were concerned, there was more to this, there had to be.

Kate slipped the necklace off, "He couldn't tell me anything else, we were being watched. He gave me this," she stated as she held it out to him. Soval slowly held his hand out and felt the cool stone fall in his waiting palm. "He was acting like it would give us answered, I learned his name is Stark," she explained. Soval froze and snapped to attention, "Stark, as in Commander Nathanial Carter-Stark, designer of the USS Enterprise?" he asked. She nodded after a moment, "How he got the info is beyond me," she stated.

Soval turned the pendant over, Stark, that name was familiar and not just in Nathanial's instance. He looked at the stone once again, there wasn't a great deal of metal around it. "Doctor Nathan Stark," he said slowly, "I met him years ago. He had shown me something rather interesting." His eyes fell on the stone, the engineer was clever, so clever that the technology was nearly impossible to replicate. "He didn't know I was an alien but when he had shown me, he was under the impression I was interested in having my corporation refitted, it was one of the many ways he checked just how far along you were as a race," he explained.

The Ambassador held the diamond up to the light and watched it glitter, "He was on the cutting edge of technology. Unlike many he decided silicone and copper was the past, and the future was in something far more precious," he stated. Kate was quiet and he watched the stone twirl, "Diamonds. He was able to store hundreds of terabits worth of information in a diamond. In fact he created an entire network of them," he said with a hint of awe. His people hadn't managed to do something like that until several years later.

He slowly closed his hand and looked at Kate, who now looked purely mystified, "This may be one of those Diamonds, he called them Logic Diamonds. If his descendant is anything like him, this would be the most secure way to hand the files off." Kate's gaze fell on the necklace, "That holds servers worth of stuff?" she asked curiously Soval nodded. Now all they had to do, was read it.

Suran didn't have the ability to do so and the technology on his planet was still prototypes. "We need a reader, I can't get the information off this without it," he stated. Kate sighed, he could tell this was going to frustrate her, "Why is it every step closer we get there is a new barrier?" she asked. Soval ignored her question, Nathanial had put himself in enough danger as it was, yet he didn't understand why the need for secrecy.

"You stole an Ensign's IP address to send the email," he stated, causing Kate to look as though he had caught her again. He huffed as his eyes fell on the blonde, she was like her father when she did that, it was the one thing that made Max a terrible liar. "My emails weren't being received, and I had a feeling someone was blocking my IP. I can't access the servers without a Star Fleet issued one, so I kind of… borrowed one," she replied, suddenly she found her hands to be immensely interesting as she fidgeted with them.

Her email was being blocked, which meant Star Fleet was also an issue, or at least someone high up. Now they were even more limited, "So rather than voice this to me you stole an IP?" he asked arching a brow. Kate crossed her arms and said pointedly, "Borrowed, I didn't keep it. Besides I used it to send one email and rerouted the reply. Not like a robbed her blind." Soval glared at her, one that he reserved for the naughty children in the Consulate, although at this moment she mind as well be one. "That is not the issue," he stated.

Kate grumbled something before stating, "Look I didn't have a choice, you can't help me communicate with my own people. I did what I had to, so I cloned her device! I made sure to make sure it was impossible to trace!" If this were true then how Gardner knew confused him, "How did the Admiral find out?" he questioned. Kate was silent and she looked confused.

"That's impossible; I routed through 43 international servers and bounced off a few space stations. There's no way he could have traced it to me," she stated. Now things fell in place, the emails weren't blocked they were being rerouted, and he didn't like where they may have been going, since it wasn't official. Gardner had managed to reroute them, "You need to check your PADD," he stated. Kate looked insulted, "Someone knows about the emails, and if Gardner knows than your PADD is compromised," he explained.

Kate leapt from her seat to grab the device, "That's impossible I wrote the code myself," she muttered as she opened the PADD to it's command window and began looking for the code that didn't belong. "This is going to take a while," she stated. Soval watched as she sat on the sofa and continued scrolling, "I will look into reading the crystal. However, from now on, if you are approached with any information, regardless of how valid you believe it to be, you are to tell me," he stated.

The young blonde glared at him, her fingers tightening around the device, "Why?" she hissed. Soval clasped his hands behind his back and replied, "Simple, I want to know where you are to ensure our safety, you didn't have your communicator, and from here on, you shall always carry it." She was going to argue until he held his hand up to stop her, "At this moment we do not know who are allies are, and who are friends might be. I don't need to be put in a position where I find myself question your trust and vice versa."

Bright blue eyes widened, "From this moment, you, myself and Suran are the only people we can trust. I am uncertain of any others I am able to trust, since the trade issues with my planet," he explained. Kate oddly felt very alone, "What about Kruss?" she asked. Soval shook his head, to hear that he didn't even trust his very own Head of Security shocked her, "T'Vok?" she asked.

Soval sighed, he hadn't thought much about her, "I'm uncertain, as of current, she isn't. That may change."

Kate looked at her PADD before saying, "Then I have rules for you as well."

Normally he would argue but seeing as she was one of his only allies, there was little point in doing so. "You are going to allow me to escort you everywhere, you will carry a communicator, and a knife at all times. Even in the Consulate," she stated. A knife, she wanted him to carry a knife, "I would say phaser, but I know you'll never agree," she added. Soval nodded, he wouldn't agree to that, so the knife was reasonable.

"You're also going to allow me to do my job properly, which means telling me of any and all special events, allowing me to oversee preparations in security measures and heed my warning when it comes to modifications," she stipulated. Soval found himself at a loss for words, in that moment she sounded like her father, and not the young woman he knew. She was just like Max, and clearly she had inherited his strength. "Understood," he replied.

She seemed to relax after that and he watched a lazy smile curve her lips, apparently she found something amusing. It was only then he realized that she had stated she saw him as a challenge and was more than happy to accept. "Suran will follow your rules as well, I will inform him in the morning," Soval stated.

Kate accepted this with little irritation and he quickly vanished to grab his PADD and see if there was any way to get his hands on a reader for the Logic Diamond, there had to be a few in existence still at least one at Global Dynamics, after all it was Stark's Lab. After retrieving the tablet he returned to the living room to see Kate slumped over the pad, her stylus moving, and not even realizing he had returned. He had a feeling she would be this way until she finally passed out.

He took a seat across from her and began contact the people he knew in the small town called Eureka.


	7. A Thief's Desire

_To whom it may concern,_

_I would like to sincerely apologize to both Sensera and Fameanon, in no way was I attempting to steal your characters or plot line. For this I apologize, I didn't realize that I had done such a thing. In response to this I have made several alterations._

_Ginie's name has been changed to Kathrine Samantha Forrest, her appearance will remain since it is essential for fans to see the connection between herself and Admiral Forrest, her father. You'll also note that the motorcycle has changed to a Cobalt Blue Yamazaki, it will appear several times in the series. She is still a MACO but also has a Masters in Poly Sci and Economics. That will not change._

_Sorak has been changed to Suran, his appearance will also be altered, his hair will become salt and peppered and he will have gray eyes. He will be a bit more assertive, but still a Vulcan at heart._

_As for the plot, I admit the parallel between the works is uncanny, however I will not change how she arrives before the Ambassador after 5 years, it was logical and something I could see the Admiral do without a doubt. Thus, the letter and plot device will remain. However, the direction was different to being with and you're going to love how far I'm going to take it._

_If you have any questions feel free to contact me. All the names will be altered in both ACW and "Shattered"._

_I apologize once again._

_Sincerely,_  
><em>Kuro the Dark Ringmaster<em>

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: <strong>_Enterprise_**, it is property of Paramount Pictures and it's creators: Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. Katharine Forrest and Suran were inspired by characters created by **_Sensera_** and Fameanon's **_Ginie_** and Sorak. Any parallels between the works with this one were unintentional. **_

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: A Thief's Desires<strong>

The room was still, except for the sweeping of a pair of stylus, and the occasionally creak of furniture as the room's occupants shifted. Night had given way to morning, and the hours which had slipped away much like smoke through a keyhole, seemed to catch up to its occupants. Chocolate eyes looked up from the PADD cradled in his long olive tones fingers, awareness sparked to life as he heard a soft sound fill the room, it was light and seemed to yearn for the light. Sprawled out on the sofa across from him was a lithe form which in that moment took his breath away, he felt as though the air in the room had been stolen from him as he stared at the woman who had become his guard.

As the sun slipped over the windowsill, filling the room with golden light he watched as her bronze skin seemed to glow in the light. Just across from him, with only the coffee table serving as a boundary, was the young woman who he had only seen as a girl before then. She was sprawled across the sofa, her legs slipped over the armrest, dangling off it and crossed at the knee. One of her arms was tucked behind her head, creating a beautiful line that seemed to travel along her spine. Her golden blonde mien, it contrasted greatly against the dark green upholstery. In her free hand was the PADD, the stylus was tucked between her fingers loosely. Yet for the life of him he couldn't determine where the melody emanated from, it sounded distant and yet familiar, as though it belonged to a forgotten dream which he had never had the opportunity to have, since Vulcan's didn't dream.

He slowly placed the PADD on his lap and watched with interest as she continued to read the screen, the haunting melody continuing with grace, its daunting distraught sounds caressing his ears as though he could hear their owner's soul weep. He was drowning in it, gasping for air as the melody continued. Kate flickered through the codes, the melody growing ever more solemn and he wondered if such sadness haunted her mind, regardless of the time of day. "What is the piece called?" he asked after a moment, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Kate snapped out of her daze and the melody ceased, resulting in silence that was oddly comfortable. "Moonlight Sonata, a violin cover I used to play," she replied after a moment. Beethoven, he had heard of the composer once before and in privet found his work agreeable to the ear. He knew she had played violin, he could still remember the piece she had played the first time he had met her at that Christmas Party so long ago. Time for a Vulcan always moved at a constant pace, it could be measured with precision and determined with ease as to its affect. Yet, with humans, this wasn't quite how time affected them. In their world time was the enemy and all they desired to do was move faster and more accurate, to be precise but quick.

He looked down at his PADD once more and remarked, "It sounded familiar, the rendition is fascinating." Kate was silent and he looked up to see her lost in thought before saying, "I'm glad, I doubt I could play it still, I'm rusty." Soval tilted his head to the side, human idioms still confused him. She wasn't covered in rust, nor did she look as though she were iron being oxidized, perhaps if she had been cut would it be appropriate, but even then it would be a stretch of logic. Before he could remark on the idiom Kate shot up, wide eyed.

Her sky blue eyes fell on him and there was a look of light in them that he hadn't seen before. The glimmer in them screamed of recognition and in that moment she looked remarkably like Max when he had solved an issue that had been haunting them for an extended period of time. "Familiar, but not identical," she said as she gestured wildly, her voice filled with excitement as she nearly bounced before him. Kate appeared something akin to a child seeing the world for the first time. He arched a brow at her peculiar behavior, "Familiar, but distant, of course! Why didn't I see that!" she cried with pure joy, "That's good, oh that's really good, it's brilliant actually," she gushed as she began to pace.

Soval watched the human, apparently Max's pacing was genetic, or at least he began to think it was since Kate also did it while deep in thought. "Ambassador, those weapons signatures, were they identical?" she asked. Confusion smashed into him as both his eyebrows lifted and he stared at her. "Yes," he replied, now he really wanted to know what she was getting at. Kate ran her fingers through her messy golden blonde hair, he thought she was attempting to tame it only to realize she was pushing it out of her face.

"Do you have a monitor and the file still?" she asked quickly as she turned to him, she crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly. If it were one of his aids he would have chastised them for utilizing a veiled order, yet, this wasn't like that. She was as Max would say, 'on a role' and if she were anything like him – which she was – then it was best to simply do as she desired. "Good, let's get all the files on it, I have a feeling I know what's going on," she stated.

Diligently the Ambassador walked into his privet office, he had a large screen mounted on the wall to use while consulting the entire counsel on Vulcan, there were simply too many members for a small screen since the Revolution. Kate followed him quickly and closed the door as Soval synched the PADD up with the screen. The windows immediately grew larger and he watched as all 68 cases were displayed. Kate took a step closer and then pulled out her PADD, he was about to ask what she was doing until he noticed how she managed to connect her PADD to his, sharing only that file.

His eyes narrowed as he watched her look at the data before her, "Major Forrest, that is an act of theft," he stated. Kate glanced over to him and smirked, "I already took myself offline, I'm running barebones, look do you want to see what I do or not?" she asked. Her voice was dark and dared him to argue, she wasn't traditionally one to back down without a fight. However, he was interested in how she became so good with technology, it certainly wasn't in MACO training to hijack IPs and networks, that was something a software programmer did, not a soldier.

The data was translated into what looked like frequency charts for an audio recording, nothing like the string of numbers he had been staring at for the past few weeks. "Major, what are you doing?" he asked slowly, he didn't see how audio frequency charts would be part of a logical solution. The data was in code and numbers, not frequency charts, those were for recording and determining the variance of disciples in sound. "Okay, a little quiz, if I were to record myself speaking to you, using different microphones and then ran it through an audio analyzer would they be identical?" she asked as her fingers danced across the screen.

Soval turned his attention to the woman next to him, "No, there are a number of variables preventing the recordings from being identical. Such as background audio, recording volume, volume of your voice, pronunciation, and naturally the quality of the microphone," he stated. Kate smirked, her lips curling up at the corners, in that moment she looked devious, much like a young Earth child who was up to something rather naughty. "Correct, wouldn't a sensor do the same? There would be some form of variation based on the sensitivity of the sensor as well as positioning, not to mention the slight variation in crafting of the weapons," she continued.

The Vulcan Ambassador turned his attention to the screen and watched as each of the frequency charts, which had been color coded snap together, creating one teal chart. "What is the probability that these would all match perfectly if they were from different ships?" she asked, a mocking note in her voice. "Approximately 0.1432%," he replied almost instantaneously. It was a line of reasoning, but its relevance eluded him.

The VSA had been examining the data for weeks and had managed to make little progress with it. They had analyzed it a grand total of 78 ways, and yet none of them had done something like this. The reason why they had not approached it from such a view completely confounded him, then again it was one of the many reasons why he admired humans, ingenuity and creativity were two things they had in ample supply. Vulcans' were governed by logic and reason, and would not dare to use the realm of art to inspire a solution, perhaps this new generation of Vulcans would see the connection, but he doubted it, the probability was simply too low.

Soval stared at the screen, all 68 recordings were identical. "So tell me, what was the probability that all 68 ships would have the same readings from different planets, with different sensor arrays and different classes?" she asked with a hint of mirth. He looked at her and then the screen, "This would imply that these readings are fakes due to the fact that they are identical, which is nearly impossible," he stated as recognition seemed to dawn on him. Either these were 68 readings of the same ship and same sensor array, kept at top condition without a single weapon damaged or offline, which is highly unlikely or it was a single reading that was detected 68 times.

Kate nodded as she tucked her PADD under her arm and pointed to the screen, "Even if they were different readings from different ships they would still vary slightly, the question is now, just what is going on?" she posed the question as she tapped her index finger to her lip. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the information before her and Soval oddly realized for every piece of this puzzle they seemed to assemble, there were other unforeseen complications appearing.

He needed to ask Suran and inform the Vulcan Science Academy of Kate's findings. There had to be an explanation, 68 copies of the same reading were impossible. He slowly stared at the screen unmoving, this had to mean that someone had taken the single reading and was sending it to other stations. His first thought was the Andorians, however, they had nothing to gain by sabotaging trade agreements. After the Vulcan Revolution money was abundant and a number of Vulcans were investing off world in trading companies and various sectors of the Galactic market. Andoria was one of the planets benefiting from Vulcan Credits more than the rest. In a matter of months their market was stabilized as interplanetary investing yielded a substantial economic growth period.

Vulcan technology was held as some of the most advanced, and while Andorians didn't speak Vulcan the base technology could be adapted. Slowly Vulcan had been allowing small technological advancements to leave its orbit and into the markets of Andoria. There was the matter of projecting this recording as well, it would require a great deal of technological knowledge, and advancement, which meant it was out of the grasps of some species. Not even the Vulcan Science Academe had experimented with the notion that it was possible to make one craft sound like another, while the idea held promise for stealth, it also made him question the benefit.

Star Fleet should have picked up on this fact, yet they had not either, which made him wonder if it were on purpose, or if it were simply just as unusual to a majority of humans as it were to Vulcans. He turned his attention to Kate who was still mulling over the topic only then did he realize she hadn't slept, neither of them had, and it was time for them to get to work. "Have you checked your PADD?" he asked after a moment. He didn't like the idea that it had been compromised, if they were able to get into her PADD, they could use it to take control of the Consulate. Vulcan security was impressive, however, Kate wasn't an armature either, which meant her code was just as stringent.

She finally peeled her gaze from the screen and looked at him, "I went through the base code and apparently someone decided to gift me a Trojan," she stated with a shrug, "and then turned on several mirror controls I had off to create a virtual mirror of my PADD. They can't alter what I do, but they are able to see my work and potentially stop uploads." The Ambassador went still. He had no idea what a wooden horse had to do with someone getting into her PADD, but from what she had stated it wasn't good. In fact, he would classify this as a major issue.

Suran typically handled things of this nature, "Is there any way to remove it?" asked Soval as he began to think of a way for her to work on their system without the PADD, but not alert whoever was watching her.

Kate sighed, it wasn't a comforting one, "Yup, but I think I'm going to keep it," she said with a smirk. He stared at her, she had admitted it was a breach in security and yet now she wanted to keep it as though it were as easy of taking in a wild Sehlat and calling it a pet. "What?" he asked, his control was being strained and she seemed to detect it. "Look, if I remove it, they will know and things might get worse. Who knows what else they would put in place," she stated, "I can keep it and perhaps use it to our advantage."

Advantage, which was a word he had learned to equate to humans risking something to gain something greater, it didn't necessarily mean they had one. Unease settled in his veins, it was alien to him, and he filed the notion away to meditate upon. "How something this risky would be considered an advantage?" he asked. Kate hummed as she held her hand out for his PADD. "Is this screen on the network?" she asked.

Soval watched as she pulled him off the network and severed the link between himself and the screen. "No," he replied as she handed the PADD back to him. She isolated her tablet and he watched as she displayed the code, "Okay, here's how these babies work. See this?" she asked as she pointed to a section on the screen. Soval nodded as he stared at what was clearly code, he was unfamiliar with human code, and made a mental note to propose a general coding, similar to Federation Standard. "That is the Trojan's homing beacon so it can call home regularly to report like a good soldier, and terminate itself when the command is given."

A fragment of code that seemed to be extra, turned out to be curtail. It was similar to how systems on Vulcan operated, just he hadn't seen something worm its way into a device in such an odd way. Vulcans could monitor systems, but it typically was noticeable and both parties were well aware of this tap. Kate scrolled through the code and he watched the line flicker by, it was a small portion of the large whole in a mess of numbers and commands. "I can use this section to track him back, with a little work of course, because whoever infected me knows his shit," she stated.

She curse, she just cursed before him, his eyes narrowed as he shot her a warning glare. Kate smiled and stated, "Yes, I can curse, besides I hung out with techies, you think I don't know the lingo?" She was using words he was certain were made up, since he had no clue what a techie was. "Technical consultant also known as IT, seriously if you want to learn anything ask them. They can teach you everything from how the latest in banking programs works to how to steal IPs, identities and even create an alias," she explained.

At least now he knew where she learned these things, even if he didn't approve of them. "Those are not things to tell an Ambassador," he stated flatly, they really weren't. Kate hummed as she disconnected her PADD from the screen and then reissued his on the network. "How else am I supposed to protect you? Who better than a thief to protect a safe?" she asked with a grin.

"Why would I have a thief protect a safe? That is illogical, I would be more concerned with the thief stealing its contents rather than protecting it," he stated sternly, it was not practical to ask a thief to guard anything of value. He knew Kate had stolen and IP and clearly knew how to do what she had just said, yet, he also knew he could trust her. How he knew that was still a mystery, even though he could trust Max and the letter told him to not doubt her, it didn't impact him. This feeling of trust was forging, Kate chuckled.

The rich sound caressed his ears much like her humming had, it was dark, sultry and stirred something long forgotten in him. She was smirking, the way her lips lifted at the corners and the gleam of mirth in her eyes seemed to make him desire to see the expression more. "Because, the thief would know how the other thieves think. Besides, who's to say what she desires is in the safe?" she asked before the sound of her communicator chirping summoned her attention.

She pulled the black device from her pocket and sighed, "Apparently Kruss wants to go over some footage, be careful with that information." Kate was out the door before he could say anymore and he stared after her. His eyebrows were lifted as he asked, "What could possibly be outside the safe that the thief would want?"

~~CT~~

Balance, a concept which has managed to escape most of man for millenniums. The very force that has proven to be the most powerful in the cosmos, is also the one which people underestimate. It is the understanding that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction in order to prevent the scales from crashing to the floor. A single act of kindness is counterbalanced with misfortune for an individual somewhere in the cosmos. Its cosmic balance is as powerful as the mighty sand fires of Vulcan but delicate as the thin pottery created by masters.

To be at balance is to be at peace and accept. Acceptance of the universe for all it is, all it has been, all it will be, and all it could be. To accept that there are limits and at the same time it is limitless. To exist and not at the same time, a notion which even for a Vulcan is abstract, to be alive and dead all at once in order for even a modicum of understanding to be gifted to an individual. The wind off the bay swept through the gardens, ruffling the leaves of several trees and causing the Vulcan Lilies to sway.

Sitting in silence was Suran. His eyes were closed as he focused on his breath, the gift of his mother, the blessing of his father, and measure of his mind. The crunch of gravel underfoot pulled him out of his light trans, he didn't typically meditate during the day, but had felt the urge to. Soval was speaking with the Vulcan Science Academy and Kate had been with Kruss discussing security. He had spent a majority of his time transcribing documents and looking into another PADD for Kate. Soval had asked for him to find one for her to use, something small, light and much more powerful than her Star Fleet issued one.

He hadn't explained his reasons, however he had stated that she had to be able to access it's base code and have the highest quality security software loaded, which would be difficult to get the Vulcan Science Academy to relinquish. His blue eyes opened to see a pair of sky blue eyes looking back at him. Sitting across from him, crossed legged was Kate. She was dressed in a black suit, which confused him for a moment.

Kate noticed as she rested her hands on her shins, "Soval asked for me to wear this instead of my uniform, it seemed to put the staff at ease," she explained simply. Suran was silent, that wasn't the reason. He knew the reason, Soval didn't like being reminded that she was a soldier, his best friend's daughter had become a soldier, the one thing he hoped she wouldn't become. He hadn't seen Soval at peace with himself for five years, ever since Max had died. Peace had evaded Soval, and it made Suran tense simply watching the Ambassador attempt to function.

"What can I do for you Major? Has Osu asked for me?" he asked simply, Soval knew where he was but had a feeling he had sent Kate to get her to take a break. Kate shook her head and asked, "Can we talk?" Suran was silent, they were conversing, however the expression on her face stated that this conversation was one to be had with tea and apples. He nodded before making a move to stand only for the young blonde to hold her hand up. "Don't, I like it out here, it's not as constricting," she whispered, her cheeks turned a little pink and he realized she was embarrassed.

Suran looked at her knowingly, she didn't want anyone to overhear them, and the garden was empty. "What is it?" he asked after a moment. Kate went still, she was sorting through her thoughts, and he learned a while ago to not rush her. Patients was the key to understanding, "I should have listened to your advice, I upset the Ambassador," she began, "He…" Kate hung her head and began to examine her hands. The wind blew through the garden, ruffling her hair as it did so.

She slowly lifted her gaze, "He was so angry, it looked as though his emotions would burn him," she said softly, he could hear her self-loathing in her tone. It wasn't something a usually confident MACO would exhibit, no soldier ever showed sign of weakness. She wasn't a MACO or Major Forrest, the young woman before him was Kate, a girl he had come to know and rely on. "I've never seen him like that," she stated, "He was so different." Only once had he seen Soval's temper flare, only once had the Ambassador had lost control while he had been working with him.

The memory was crisp and clear, it was after he had met Admiral Forrest the first time. He had made the mistake of stating that humans weren't ready to see the stars, they weren't in control of their emotions and would cause harm to every established culture, both pre-warp and beyond. Soval had rounded on him after the remark; they were within the confines of the Vulcan Consulate when he snapped. In that second, he defended humanity, he stated that he hoped humans would reach out to the stars and travel among the worlds. That they would be able to venture into the unknown and beyond, without fear. Soval saw a future for humanity that no one else did. The Ambassador's clipped tone and searing anger still stung.

"_You know nothing of humans, there will be a day where they will be our greatest allies. For all their emotion, they show the ability to see reason and restraint. Do not underestimate them, never look down upon them, as soon as you do you become __**Vulcan**__,"_ he had stated.

It took many years for him to understand what Soval had meant by stating that his outlook made him Vulcan. He was aware that he was Vulcan and saw no logic behind Soval's statement. He meditated on the statement for hours, it wasn't until the death of Admiral Forrest he understood what Soval had meant. He wasn't referring to their biology at all, but the general view of humans held by a majority of Vulcans. It had taken the loss of a wonderful human to result in this understanding, the man who was the father of the young woman who dedicated herself to the task of keeping them safe.

He drew a deep breath before responding, "It disturbed you," it wasn't a question, he knew it had. The very way she was acting, was an indicator, she seemed nervous as though she had broken a priceless antique. Kate tucked a strand of hair which had fallen free from her tight bun behind her ear and nodded. "Vulcans are not emotionless, in fact, we have very powerful emotions. Anger is one of the most powerful for us," he explained, "Did he harm you?" he asked after a moment. He knew all too well that some Vulcan's became violent when agitated, it was one of the many things which young Vulcans were taught to control.

Rage was a powerful emotion, it often resulted in violence, it was what had caused the Great Awakening in the first place and allowed for Surak to become their teacher. Surak had served as their guide to prevent Vulcans' from tearing themselves apart. Violence, rage and aggression were not strangers to the mind of a Vulcan, in fact, they were often plagues which haunted them. They hid behind carefully constructed fortifications crafted to keep them at bay.

Slender fingers wrapped around her biceps only for her to hiss, "He just grabbed me, it's a bruise, it was more his reaction when he realized what happened," she paused for a moment before looking into his eyes, "He looked as though I had hurt him. He looked so hurt and upset, I didn't think he could." Kate had seen him during the funeral in a rare moment of weakness when his emotions seemed to seep through his walls, but the night before clearly was far more vivid.

It would explain Soval's unusual attitude that morning, Soval seemed distant, colder than usual and more withdrawn as though he feared contact with any living thing would harm it. The position of Ambassador was demanding, it called for unwavering fortitude and confidence, the ability to meet opponents in the diplomatic field and make decisions that affected nearly 3 billion lives on Vulcan, as well as all their allies. "Anger is powerful, it causes us to do things which we normally would not, in Osu's case, he was so blinded by rage that rather than protect you, he brought you harm," he explained in a soft tone, one he had reserved for speaking with a child, because in that moment Kate was a child, "he is disgusted with himself for losing control, it is not the Vulcan way."

Kate's eyes narrowed, "Wait, he's upset because he lost his temper? How do your people express themselves if they are unable to voice discomfort?" she asked. The questions loomed in the air for a moment, "We frequently voice discomfort," he stated. The young woman before him shook her head and glared at him harshly, it was intense and for a moment, he wondered if she could see through him. "Not what I meant and you know it," she stated, she was becoming exasperated and he could hear her pulse elevate.

Suran placed his hands on his knees, they rested upon the supple fabric of his robes heavily, the weight of her questions pulled them down. "Emotional discomfort is traditionally hidden and we meditate on it to determine its cause. Never are we to physically display emotion for it may escalate and lead to violence," the fear of losing control, one that seemed to haunt every Vulcan. Kate's brow furrowed in confusion as she crossed her arms across her chest, "Wait, then what about art? I've seen your art, and it's exquisite, doesn't that require emotions?" she asked keenly.

Art on Vulcan was once looked down upon, unless an item had a function Vulcan's saw no purpose to create it. However, that was previously, currently Vulcan was experiencing a swing in beliefs, that art had a purpose, to communicate the abstract. "Artists do have emotion, but many times their pieces focus on restraint and the understanding of emotion," he replied, "Osu is the Ambassador, he can not afford such luxuries."

He knew he was being harsh, however, she had to see it, to understand that Soval wasn't always collected, he was Vulcan, and capable of making mistakes. "Kruss, why doesn't he trust Kruss?" she asked after a moment. Suran's attention honed in on her, Kruss, of all the things to ask about she had asked about Kruss. The one thing he never hoped she would ask him, "Let us walk, it's wonderful out and the grounds are barren this time of day," he stated as he rose from his cushion which he had taken outside. The young Major was about to protest until he already opened the exterior gate, he wasn't going to hold this conversation so close to the Ambassador, or anyone else who might hear it.

Kate's footsteps echoed in his head as she walked over to him and followed suit. He glanced over to her, she didn't look thrilled, he couldn't blame her. He was being cryptic, it wasn't something he did often. He slowly guided her through the grounds and as they walked further away from the spacious Privet Residence and Consulate, they were greeted by sprawling lawns, with trees and tables, all of which were empty. Not even a restless Sehlat was out with its master, everyone was working. Even though he had planned on meditating on his break, he decided this was something she needed to know. She would never understand Soval if he didn't explain, at least the part he knew.

There was a rustle of leaves as he brushed against a bush, and the scent of freshly cut grass hung in the air. He could feel the dampness from the salty sea air cling to his skin. "Osu was married once, a long time ago," he began, "Her name was T'Androma, she was bound to him at the age of seven, like all Vulcan's are. At first the union was one of discord, neither family was satisfied with the notion, but they were in not position to object. It was made out of desperation and necessity.

"T'Androma's clan had accepted the proposal and decided to create a bond between Osu and their young daughter, who was the same age. As time passed and Soval went from a simple soldier to a diplomat, T'Androma grew closer to him, at first it was because of his new status. It wasn't until later she saw Osu as an individual an not a reputation. T'Androma had actually gone against her family, she became an architect, they didn't desire that life for their daughter, she was supposed to be a doctor or even linguist.

"Yet for T'Androma the world of steel and glass intrigued her. Despite her clan's displeasure, she went to school and became one of the leading Vulcan architects. She designed the consulate as well as it's gardens and the Ambassador's Residence," he explained only to pause. Kate had stopped and was looking at the building that was made of glass, steel and concrete. He examined how the steel seemed to ebb and flow, it was as though it were alive. The simplicity of a line had made the Consulate one of the most esthetically pleasing buildings in Sausalito.

Sky blue eyes widened with shock as she whispered, "The Ambassador's wife? I thought the Consulate existed before her." Clearly Kate knew her history and Suran nodded, she was correct and few knew of Soval's battle to have the Consulate built.

"It did, however, she had designed this compound and Soval was determined to have it built. The one which had been constructed previously was falling apart due to a grievous miscalculation on the part of the engineers who aided the architect. The building had been constructed by humans, so Osu decided to have a Vulcan building erected to represent the people of Vulcan. T'Androma had worked hard on these drawings and designs, it was a gift to Osu when he was informed that he would become the Ambassador in hopes that one day he would reside inside it.

"By that time 50 years had passed, and Osu was married with a young daughter named T'Zantha, who was working toward becoming what you would call a metaphysics. T'Androma had indeed grown fond of Osu, not that she would admit it, and decided to build a family with him. It wasn't uncommon for her to aid him when he required her, or to see her visit his office. She balanced him, a gentle touch that was required to keep the aggression at bay, a woman who was always by his side despite the battle's odds," he paused as he took her down another path, he wanted to take this conversation slowly, it was a lot to take in.

He glanced over at Kate to see if she was still there, only to meet her expecting gaze. She seemed to be one of the better listeners he had met. "Osu during that time was rather content, he had a family and a prospering career. He had been given the notice that he was to become the Ambassador to another planet, one that wasn't Earth, in the system. T'Androma was proud and had made reservations at a restaurant, with T'Zantha who had just been accepted to the Vulcan Science Academy. It was to be an evening of respectful celebration, and a moment to embrace being a family."

The memory came to haunt him, it was of a man who had once been caught smiling – as much as any Vulcan would allow – a relaxed man who was simply enjoying his life. One with a wife to hold at night and remind him that he was both necessary and desired. A man, with a daughter who was as intelligent as he was, and played a beautiful lute which he had taught her to play at an early age, the version of the Ambassador which had vanished in the blink of an eye, and was replaced with a distant and cold Vulcan, one who was terrified to feel. He would never be able to forget the expression of agony on his face.

"Osu was leaving his office when there had been reports of a group of Romulans infiltrating the capital. Immediately he had been called to aid the rest of the High Command in apprehending them, and ensuring no one was harmed. It was unusual for an Ambassador to be informed and moved into the High Command's privet rooms, however, he had been responsible for destroying the Romulan armada and negotiating terms of surrender, after having desolated several moons and important trade posts," he listened to her hiss with displeasure.

It wasn't a pleasant thought, the Romulans were emotional, dark, paranoid and capable of holding a grudge for a very long time. "Chaos broke out as several charges were detonated all over the capital. A total of 23 separate explosions occurred, all varying in magnitude, 1,456 people had perished that day," he could still hear the screams from across the lobby of the High Command. The smell of fires lingered in the memory, as well as the waves of fear from not only the average citizen but the High Command as well. "T'Androma and T'Zantha were instructed to come to the High Command, where they would be protected after it was revealed that Osu was the target and the Romulans weren't below killing his family instead," he could still remember the frantic commands as the Ambassador fought to get them to safety.

Silence stretched between them as Suran tumbled into the memory, "What happened?" asked Kate hesitantly, it was hesitant, as though she knew she was causing him pain. She had proven to be far more observant than most individuals realized which made her an asset. "T'Androma and T'Zantha were commanded to change their destination and flew an aircraft to the High Command. Osu was standing in the hallway waiting for their arrival, nervousness had set him on edge and everyone who surrounded him could feel it. The aircraft arrived but they never made it," Suran said softly as his eyes fell on a white Vulcan lily, which had somehow been planted outside the garden.

The lonesome flower stood proud in blistering sun, it's delicate white peddles lifted to the sky, as though the flower were craning it's neck to get a better view of the stars. "The craft exploded outside of the High Command. His wife and daughter, were trapped inside. The locks had been tampered with and the vehicle had been altered so that it would explode when it arrived at its destination," he said softly, his voice was low and for a brief moment he remembered the grief.

The grief which had consumed the Ambassador, the guilt and horror on his face as he watched his family be ripped away from him. Even on Vulcan such a loss was tragic. A sigh emanated from his side, he looked out of the corner of his eye to see Kate slightly slumped, and staring at the ground, her hands in her pockets. She wore an expression of sorrow on her face, which oddly touched him. Very few could understand this feeling, "Where does Kruss fit it?" she asked after a moment.

Suran stopped and turned to her, "Kruss was Osu's Head of Security, he had been tasked with the transportation of his family," he stated bluntly. Kruss, the same Vulcan who was the Head of Security in the Consulate. How the High Command had overlooked the incident and placed him with Soval was still a mystery. For most in Kruss' line of work they would have been reprimanded and fired for inability to follow orders and protect their charges.

"Kruss as the Head of Security," she whispered, "He didn't check the craft, what was he doing?" her tone became dark and Suran suppressed a wince. He didn't reply, he didn't know, no one knew what Kruss had been doing, nor did he offer any explanation. "I do not know, no one does. All I know is that this error was waived and he was on a shuttle to the starship to be taken to Earth," he said after a moment. It wasn't a mystery why Soval didn't trust Kruss, his wife and daughter had paid the price of his negligence. Suran resumed walking, however, he paused after his sixth step.

Kate wasn't by his side. He turned around to see a sight that confused him more than any other. Major Forrest's jaw was set and her eyes narrowed, yet tears fell freely from those usually bright sky blue eyes. Two crystal beads of agony, the only evidence of sorrow humanity had to offer, it was far more than anyone had done for the Ambassador. He stood before her and watched as she swiped at her tears with her hand. "He lost his wife and daughter," she whispered, "no wonder why he had given me comfort that day."

Suran was taken aback, Kate was haunted by her father's death. Only now did he realize that it wasn't the loss of a man's wife and daughter, it was the understanding of that pain. The pain of losing a family, one she knew too well. "He lost his family," she whispered, "No wonder why he became so agitated." He felt as though he were a fish out of water in that moment, he didn't have experience with crying humans. There was a primitive part of his mind which screamed for him to touch her, humans responded well to physical contact.

Unease settled in Suran as he lifted his hand, he didn't want to feel her pain so he fortified his defenses, he simply wished to soothe. His hand rested atop her shoulder, it was trembling under his fingers, even the brave need a reprieve. She lifted her gaze, tears still fell and her eyes became irritated, his hand remained on her shoulder as he attempted to give her some of his peace, just a modicum of peace to soothe her wounds and even his in an unusual way. Kate smiled weakly and whispered, "Thank you, Suran."

~~vOv~~

Stars flew past the window, leaving white streaks as they passed against an ink black sky. The hum of warp engines seemed to echo through the ship, the evidence of a life long legacy. They were the product of dreams that span centuries, human desires to reach out and touch the stars and now they were flying through them. Hazel eyes fell on the sketches of the _Enterprise, _she was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. The moment he had seen the drawings present by Stark as a child to his father, Henry, he knew the _Enterprise_ was his. He leaned back on his bed and ran his hand affectionately over Porthos soft fur. The Beagle had long since fallen asleep, his soft snoring soothing his mind.

He chuckled as he remember who had suggested naming the K9. He had acquired Porthos several years ago, it was Kate who had suggested the name. At first he didn't understand, he had thought it was the name of a philosopher or scientist, only to learn it was the name of one of the three musketeers. She had stated it was perfect for him because he was the first, she was the second and Porthos was the third, three musketeers. Archer smiled a little, Kate was 18 when she named him and while the notion was childish, it was also clever.

The door chimed causing Porthos to stir and turned his head toward it, "Enter," he called, to see the door slide open. Standing before him was his First Officer, Commander T'Pol and Trip was at her side. It was no secret that the two were an excellent match, now if only he could get them to see it as well. He mentally chastised himself. They wouldn't have sought him out if it weren't important. "Captain, a package was discovered among my effects," said Trip slowly as he held out a box. It was a dark brown one, the color was so deep that he thought it was black. It was covered in vines, intricate and delicate, something that didn't belong on a starship but the desk of an important diplomat.

Archer held his hands out for it curiously. He recognized it from somewhere but couldn't place it. Trip placed the box in his hands, it was much heavier than he perceived it to be and he noticed the bronze hinges and latch. Only upon further inspection did he realize it wasn't brown but a dark and fierce red. Now upon inspection he could see the wear, the finish had a few scratches in it and he felt the deep carvings under his fingers. "T'Pol any idea where it's from?" asked Archer curiously as he turned the box around in his hands.

T'Pol paused for a moment before stating simply, "No, Captain. The wood is from Earth as is the craftsmanship, however, I'm uncertain to its specific origin." He slowly held the box before him and ran his fingers over the edge; he knew the box but couldn't place it. It irritated him slightly, yet it didn't explain why they came to him. "Trip, any idea as to how it came into your possession?" he asked keenly, he loved a good mystery but not when it came to a potential security breach that could lead to harm for his command. Trip sighed and replied earnestly, "No, Cap. I hadn't finished unpacking until now, it was in the bottom of my rucksack, didn't realize it was there until T'Pol found it."

A rucksack, something that nearly anyone had access to, "I scanned the box, sir, it doesn't contain anything harmful," T'Pol said after a moment. He could tell she was just as intrigued by it as he was. The box was large and flat, "What's it made of?" asked Archer, he had seen many woods, but this one was so deep in color it made him question his knowledge of the finer things. "Bois de Rose, a wood found in Madagascar. The tree it was harvested from is actually endangered and this box is an excellent example," T'Pol stated, "It was illegally harvested in 2010 by the Chinese, I'm uncertain if this box was made legally. In 2067, they were declared endangered and nearly went instinct. There are several preserves dedicated to preserving the tree."

Archer continued to look at the wood, it was beautiful and he could understand why people desired it so much. He looked to Trip and asked, "Did you open it?" The engineer shook his head and Archer hummed, clearly they had left such an honor to him. "Alright then, let's have a look," he stated as he placed the box on his lap. He lifted the latch and stared at what was nestled inside, a thick well-worn notebook and an envelope addressed to himself, Trip and oddly T'Pol in free flowing script that made his heart stop.

With great care he pulled the piece of ivory paper out and placed the box off to the side. "Captain?" asked Trip with a hint of concern. Archer ignored him as he turned the envelope over in his hands, it had been years since he had seen that script. The last time he had seen it was on a letter addressed to him five years ago after the death of Admiral Forrest. He slowly opened it and pulled out the thin paper, it was as fragile as vellum. He unfolded the letter and fought the wave of sadness that seemed to creep up on him.

His hazel eyes lifted from the script and he found himself being watched by two sets of concerned eyes. "It's from the Admiral, Admiral Forrest," he said after a moment. Instantly the room fell silent and Trip was slowly approaching him, his head hanging solemnly, giving the deceased Admiral respect. T'Pol had her eyes closed and he could tell she was reflecting upon this moment. It was one that for every member of the _Enterprise_ was still sensitive. No one spoke of the late Admiral, it was simply too painful.

Trip cleared his throat and asked, "What's it say?"

Archer reverted his gaze to the note before he began to read it aloud.

"_Captain Jonathan Archer, First Officer Commander T'Pol, and Chief Engineer Commander Charles Tucker III,_

_By now you will have found this box and the journal inside it. I had asked a friend of ours to sneak it on board the Enterprise in the case of my death. I am well aware that each of you would have agreed to take it if I had asked, but I needed to ensure it was safe. There is so much turmoil in the universe and the only place I could think of it being secure was with you three._

_When you return to Earth, please give Katharine this journal. However, before then, I suggest that you read it, all of you. This journal contains information you will need, at the time I was unaware of what I had come across but now, I know all too well that what I know will and can kill me. _

_Good Luck and God Speed,_

_Live Long and Prosper,_

_Maxwell Forrest, Admiral of Starfleet_"

The three looked at the box now resting on the bed. The journal contained the thoughts, memories and knowledge of the Admiral, Katharine's father. Archer placed the note in the lid of the box and picked up the well worn volume, it was thick and heavy. Paper was probably the only safe way to leave such information behind without it being detected by another individual. He opened the book carefully, the smell of aged paper caressed his nose, a subtle reminded of the kind of man the Admiral was.

Once he had opened the journal he found an envelope addressed, _Kitty_. He placed it in the box and looked up at Trip and T'Pol. "We will honor his request," said Archer sternly, it was one last order, one more that he would see to, to the very end, personally. Trip's head was held high and his blue eyes glittered with a familiar strength he had come to rely on. "Of course, what do you want us to do?" asked Trip, his accent coating each word lightly. It was sweet and soft, the only time Archer heard it this strongly was in times of great sorrow.

The Captain looked at T'Pol and asked, "Can we contact the Vulcans? Something tells me there are things in this journal they need to know as well." T'Pol paused, her dark brown eyes were locked on his before she replied, "Yes, I will have Hoshi establish a link and speak with the new government. Minister Kuvak will want to know what is in the journal." Archer nodded, he had a feeling he would, Admiral Forrest was one of the few humans on Earth which Vulcan's had seen as an ally. Of course they wanted to know if their secrets were safe, and if there was information that could aid them. Even though the note hadn't said to share, he had a feeling the Admiral knew they would as soon as they found it.

The journal was heavy in his palms, the weight of the Admiral's life filled it, and from what he could tell it started the moment he had met his wife, Elaine. In those pages, the Admiral was alive and well, he could live forever in the confines of the volume. "I will contact Vulcan," said T'Pol softly before dismissing herself, taking Trip with her. Gently he opened the book and gingerly touched the pages as though he were handling the soul of the man who had written it.

Even though he had been given permission he felt as though he were trespassing. It was odd to read the thoughts of the man he had admired for years, and one who had recruited him and challenged him to do better, to go further, and explore the furthest reaches of the universe. Just as he began to read the first page he heard the bridge paging him. He placed the journal aside and walked over to the communication panel.

"Archer," he replied, his eyes were staring at the device in the wall, there was no way they had contacted Vulcan so quickly. "Sir, it's Minister Kuvak, he is asking to speak with you," she said. Apparently it was possible, either that or they had intended to contact him before they even found the book. He hummed, the timing was unusual, but he shook it off. "Transfer him to my ready room," he commanded, "Archer, out." Once off the line he picked up the journal and placed it in the box, he didn't want it damaged. Porthos watched him keenly, his head propped up and he tilted his head.

The Captain smiled, "I'll be back, stay here," he instructed his small friend. Porthos huffed before curling up on his bed. With that Archer left his compartments and walked to the Ready Room. Once inside he settled at his desk and opened the communication link. Staring back at him were two individuals Minister Kuvak and T'Pau. He hadn't expected to come face to face with them, he was expecting the Forging Minister, not the acting Minister and his protégé. Clearly this was a business call. T'Pau's hair was still as short as he remembered but far tamer and the regal robes of the Ministers suited her. She no longer looked like the nomad he had met in the Forge, but a manicured diplomat. Kuvak seemed at ease but the look in his eyes communicated to Archer that something was very wrong.

None the less the Captain held up the Ta'al and said with ease, "Live Long and Prosper," the greeting had become second nature, thanks to T'Pol's insistence that he understand its importance to her people. The two ministers mirrored the action, "Captain Archer, it has come to our attention that there is a great deal of tension between Vulcan and a number of Coalition Planets. We have read Ambassador Soval's reports, however we are skeptical," began Minister Kuvak.

Skeptical of Soval, now that made Archer pause, the Vulcan had more than proven himself to them. Soval battled for what he knew was right, he fought to preserve their way of life, to protect it from the destructive forces of V'Las and even themselves. As far as he was concerned Soval was one of the best men he knew, and he was honored to know him, not that he would ever admit it to the Vulcan in question. "He has sent reports of readings from several sensors involving weapons signatures, yet the Vulcan Science Academy has turned up little from them. A majority of planets refuse to continue trade with us," Kuvak stated, "We wish to know if Starfleet has any information on any negotiations being held on Earth as well as to why it has yet to contact us on it's findings."

Archer was silent, this was the first time he was hearing of this, "What?" he asked hesitantly. He hadn't heard a word of this series of events, he should have, considering T'Pol would have been informed by the VSA as well as Soval. "Surly you are aware of this," stated T'Pau harshly, her eyes narrowed slightly. Archer shook his head and replied, "I don't, this is the first time I'm hearing about this," he admitted. None of the many orders from Admiral Garnder contained this information. He may not have been a large fan of the Vulcans previously, but after the Kir'shira incident he found himself compelled to see what he could do to aid them. Having Surak's katra inside him had changed his perception of the Vulcan people.

Although, there were times where he sided with Shran, especially on the topic of Vulcan logic, it was just too cold for his taste.

Kuvak was still before stating, "I will send the files to the Enterprise as well as several reports. Clearly someone has failed to do as they were ordered. You are a vessel of exploration and our greatest ally, yet they have left you out." Archer nodded, he suppressed his urge to openly gape, never had a Vulcan offered information freely. Typically they worked to hide it and told him it was none of his business, it actually gave him a little hope. Admiral Forrest always desired for Starfleet to transcend its simple mission of exploration and become the peacekeepers of the universe. This was something that he agreed with.

The journal suddenly appeared in his mind and he quickly stated, "The journal of Admiral Forrest was brought to my attention today, it was found among the affects of one of my Officers." Kuvak and T'Pau were silent, and he watched as they closed their eyes to pay respect. There was a breath before the pair opened their eyes, "What is the nature of this journal?" T'Pau was the one to speak and Archer could tell Kuvak was content with allowing her to handle this.

Archer's mind wandered to the journal before he responded, "It's a personal one, but in a letter he stated that it held information that would be vital to us, not just Starfleet, but I think Vulcan. He had included T'Pol in the letter." T'Pau's face was a mask of serenity, while her eyes communicated curiosity and a hint of confusion. It was one he had learned from T'Pol, apparently it was something all Vulcan's had in common. "Indeed, please tell us if there is any information that pertains to us," Minister Kuvak responded coolly. In the past he would have interoperated this tone as a typically cold Vulcan, yet he could tell he was straining to keep himself in check, Archer nodded.

Once the pair had signed off he found himself staring at a black monitor. He didn't know anything about these events and began to wonder why Admiral Gardner hadn't informed him. Vulcan was in a delicate state, the Revolution had caused a great deal of change and instability in the markets as well as the culture as the old ways were pushed out and the new seemed to spread. For trade between planets to become threatened and weapons signatures to be involved it sounded like something the _Enterprise_ would be tasked to handle.

Yet, this wasn't all that bothered him, Ambassador Soval. The Ambassador had lost everything and was still loyal to Vulcan, and now they were questioning his abilities, yet again. Time and time again the man had proven himself, it made him wonder just how often Soval was put between a rock and a hard place. How many times had his life been destroyed by the people he represented and how often he had given them all he had to receive nothing in return. Archer's stomach churned and he closed his eyes, Trip had told him all about the work the Ambassador had done with Shran, his integral role in stopping a war and his unbeatable fortitude even after being exiled. Whatever it was that drove the Vulcan was certainly powerful and he wondered if one day he would have the same strength.


	8. Moves and Counter Moves

**Author's Note: I have a full load of classes, so updates will be a bit more sporadic. I hope, you enjoy the scene with Archer, it was enjoyable to write.**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. All its characters, settings, artifacts and organizations are property of Paramount Pictures, Rick Berman, Brannon Braga. The characters Kate Forrest and Suran were inspired by Sensara and Fameanon's Gine Forrest and Sorak. Any and all parallels between the two works is unintentional.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Moves and Counter Moves<strong>

Trojan horses, they are tricky things. According to history they are gifts given to the enemy and nestled inside them was their untimely demise. A devious and disastrous gift that when allowed within the gates of Troy had assured it's destruction. A sigh of exasperation left the Ambassador as he looked at his PADD, he still had the data on it, he had yet to contact the Vulcan Science Academy, something was very wrong. Humans were clever, but Vulcans were in a league of there own, and the more he thought about this the more concerned he became. Someone was playing a lethal game with them, someone who knew their way around the shadows, a place he hadn't been in for a very long time. The political arena was filled with those who chose shady methods and utilized other means to achieve their goals.

For decades he had watched such practices even on Vulcan, as distasteful as they were, he couldn't deny they hadn't occurred. The most he could do was choose to operate in the light, however, even that had limitations and occasionally he also had to summon something from the shadows to aid him. A necessary evil, such as money to a banker and businessmen, this was his evil. Soval slowly rose from his seat, his eyes falling on the screen. Kate had managed to solve the problem by simply looking at it differently. Although the solution was odd, and in many ways he was still attempting to discern how she arrived at it, she had solved it where no one else did.

Soval looked to his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen, all the events were transpiring at the same time. Usually he would look at it as simply coincidence, he was the Ambassador from Vulcan, it was to be expected. He wouldn't have been sent to Earth if it weren't imperative and these issues were certainly something that every planet was concerned with. Yet, this time, this time things were too perfect, there had to be a common denominator.

He plucked a pen from it's holder on his desk and quickly wrote inter planetary trade agreements, in one corner. Vulcan was fragile economically, it was a universal fact that after the revolution the economy was in a state of transition and transformation, one wrong move and it could crumble. With strain in trade between planets, it was creating tension in the markets on Vulcan, he had no interest in watching their markets begin slowing and even a regression occurring over such incidents.

Weapons signatures, they were doing more than harming the Vulcan economy, but were currently scaring a number of planets into preparing for war, despite the fact that Vulcan had no even spoken of such a thing. If the technology was available for anyone to mimic a ship from any planet, chaos would break loose as allies shot on one another, sworn enemies take out ships despite an armistice or something far more dangerous, it could be used to destabilize all civilizations with an armada, rendering planetary protection useless. Not only would it immobilize Vulcan but any planet with a fleet of starships, something that he wouldn't even wish on the Andorians. With small script he wrote out the weapons signatures in the opposite upper hand corner.

Two problems, the third was new, Terra Prime, or at least it was new to him. This group, who ever they were, had proven to be quite a force and for the past few months more demonstrations had cropped up. There had been several attempts on the Denobulan consulate, they had been fortunate and he had decided to heed Kate's word and increased the security around the compound. While, he didn't like it, it had proved to be an asset, since it had prevented them from being hit.

Max, he hadn't said something. Max had known something, something that Terra Prime and perhaps even the Vulcan's hadn't wanted him to know. Soval sat back, it was probably trivial in his world, but somewhere out in the universe, someone saw it as vital. Somehow a scrap of information became valuable enough to kill him, or serve as the motive for several attempts on the Admiral's life before his death on Vulcan. Max was known for keeping an eye on the shadows as well as those who worked in the dark. Even though he had appeared as an honest man, Soval knew there were only a few people he trusted enough to be honest. The rest, he had no issue with using his power to destroy them. Max would do anything to protect his friends, family and vision of a shared future between Vulcan and Earth.

He scratched Max's name in the lower corner and realized there were more than four sides, the Trojan. The Trojan was an issue, even if it only affected Kate, it also affected him. It meant who ever was on the receiving end of the tap had access to all documents sent to her, including those on his security detail and even planetary security if she linked to Kruss. It was a breach and yet, Kate was keeping it. While he did understand it could be used to catch who ever had planted it, he was well aware that it was a massive risk. She had to play this game carefully and even though she stated she could trace it, he was concerned that she wouldn't be able to do it quick enough.

The Logic Diamond popped into his head, and he immediately opened his privet line. Stark had given them a Logic Diamond, something extremely rare and nearly impossible for Vulcan to replicate. Even currently such technology was highly sought after and on more than one occasion Vulcan had offered GD and even Stark himself, a large sum to obtain it. He was greeted by an email, apparently there was still a reader at GD, however, there was an issue. The Logic Diamond they had obtained wasn't on record. Every diamond had a record of being made and released. These numbers were used as part of the reading process, it allowed the reader to determine format, and the viewing of the data. Without this number it was impossible to read the diamond, unless they used an older reader. The issue was the older reader wasn't at GD.

The old reader, the first one designed by Stark, was currently on loan in a museum for modern technology. The exhibit was one of man's many steps toward the stars, it was a highly anticipated exhibit as it celebrated the anniversary of Earth's first contact with Vulcan. The Vulcan government had been willing to assist and even sent some of it's most precious artifacts, including _T'Plana-Hath_, the survey ship which had detected Cochran's _Phoenix_. Both were to be displayed side by side, as well as a number of pieces of technology from both species. Oddly the reader was shipped from GD to the exhibit, it wasn't known that in reality Vulcans had visited Earth a number of times, including once in the 1950s as well as in 2005, both events were never recorded. The only reason Soval knew they had occurred was T'Pol's ancestor was on one such mission and his Great Grandfather was on the other in 2005. He had been shocked to learn of this fact and that his father had managed to bring back a video of Nathan Stark.

In reality he would be able to ask for a Privet Viewing of the collection, however, that would cause alarm for a number of individuals, including his own people. It wasn't that he didn't trust his own people, it was the fact that he had no interest in seeing who was left of V'Las' regime. Even though T'Pol had managed to clean house, as she had affectively referred to it, he was uncertain if she had caught all the traitors. The issue was that catching V'Las' followers was a great deal like attempting to catch smoke with one's palms, impossible.

Nathanial Stark was one of the designers of the _Enterprise_, he was the primary designer and one of the finest engineers he had ever met. Although he never mentioned where the plans for Enterprise had come from he had seen them once, they were drafted on yellowing vellum in blue pencil with tight scrawl that was nothing like Nathanial Starks's own. Scribbled at the bottom were two sets of initials and the word _Enterprise, _in rather brutish print. How Lieutenant Stark had obtained a Logic Diamond was beyond him. Such things were rare and not even GD was willing to relinquish them.

Another major issue was that Admiral Gardner knew far more than he was saying. Gardner was threatening not only the Vulcan state but the state of relative peace between the few planets in the Coalition. He also knew far too much about Kate's activities, indicating he had a role in this series of events. Soval had seen corrupt officials before, under V'Las those who weren't convinced with fear were kept silent with wealth and various other methods. Star Fleet was becoming powerful, he highly doubted they didn't have corruption, the notion was simply impossible with how individuals functioned.

All of these events were related, they had to be and so far the only common denominator was Gardner. The issue was Gardner wasn't that well connected, he had known Gardner when he was a Captain and there were few in his line of work who liked him. While even fewer were fans of Archer, he had learned to tolerate the insufferable green captain, Gardner didn't have a growing group of individuals who actually liked him. He had been interoperated as a vain individual who was intelligent enough to hold a conversation with, if you could push past the vanity and get a word in. This meant that he would have to have very powerful allies, powerful but privet individuals who would support his cause and views including extreme xenophobia.

Terra Prime was difficult to catch because it didn't make waves in the sense most organizations did. It was practically invisible, there wasn't a paper trail, not a word was uttered and from what he had learned from Starfleet, who ever was in control was friends with very powerful people. This list of people was theorized to include people from Starfleet and perhaps even higher.

Soval picked up his pen once more and scratched Gardner in the middle of the page and drew lines to all the issues before amending the single name and writing, _and accomplices? _To do something with such a great deal of damage and reach, he had to have them, the only question was who they were and how they had contacted him.

There was a knock on his door and Soval quickly slipped the page into the burn pile and called, "Enter." Suran opened the door to his office and held a box in his hands as well as a navy blue envelope. He held both articles out for him and Soval slowly collected them, "I found a suitable PADD, it is 5.8 cm larger than her last one and has a higher screen resolution, it is also 4.57 times faster with 6.897 times the internal memory," he explained as Soval opened the brown box. His fingers swept over the black and silver tablet, it was thinner, sleeker and lighter than the silver monstrosities they were using.

He slowly turned it on, and watched the screen flicker to life, "It may be used continuously for 72 hours straight on a single charge," Suran supplied as Soval flickered through the set up. It reacted quickly, with no lag, and he looked over what was loaded, it was blank. He arched a brow as he looked up at Suran. Suran's gray eyes were watching him and he asked, "Why is it empty?" He remembered asking for a PADD Kate could work on the base code, but didn't think it would be blank. Suran looked into the box and that was when Soval noticed all the possible pieces of software, "I thought it best to have her select the programs, it is her PADD after all," he explained.

Kate was a professional and he wondered offhandedly if she had a developer's license, he continued examining it when he noticed it was possible to change it to Vulcan and an odd pyramid on the side. He held it closer to his face to examine it, it wasn't a golden pyramid entirely, it had the letters GD on it. "Global Dynamics?" he asked after a moment as he examined the possible Vulcan settings. Suran nodded, "Yes, Osu, apparently they had gained permission from the Vulcan Science Academy to develop a PADD for the use of Starfleet," he explained.

Now he was interested, from what he could see this technology was far better than what they had been using, it was responsive, light, fast and powerful. The PADDs they were using were cumbersome, slower and not as sensitive. "Why aren't we using these?" he asked, he hadn't heard of them, and now found himself desiring to use one of these rather than the silver monstrosity he had been using for the past few years. His gaze fell on Suran, the elder Vulcan replied, "The project was terminated, Starfleet didn't like the cost of them, and it was never presented to the Vulcan Science Academy." Vulcan had taken an interest in developing this technology and yet they had yet to see it.

"I see," he replied as he looked over the accessories that came with it, not only were possible programs in the box but several stylus, two cases –one soft and the other hard- several screen protectors and the cables. It was a start up kit for it. "Osu," said Suran softly, causing the Ambassador to look up. There was a small smile on Suran's lips as he replied, "I have also purchased two for us, I felt it was a necessary purchase since the PADDs we had were not fit for service."

The Ambassador looked at his aid, of course Suran had found a way around a pesky rule that made little sense in the real world. These PADDs were perfect for privet use, perfect since they could inter connect with one another and gave Kate a secure platform. "Fascinating," he stated before looking at the navy envelope. With in seconds it was open and he was looking at an invitation to a massive Gala. He hadn't anticipated still being on the guest list.

With the tension he had thought he wouldn't be included, apparently someone thought other wise. The Gala was soon, it was one of the first, it was the founding of the Coalition and every Ambassador and aid was expected to attend. Kate was going to get irritated, he had yet to mention the event and it wasn't something he could take a fully suited MACO to. It was a place of peace and celebrated the founding of the Coalition, while Aids were allowed, privet security wasn't and it was held on the grounds of Star Fleet. Not even the Andorians would violate this rule. "I will tell Major Forrest, to give her ample time to prepare," stated Suran.

Soval held up his hand and replied, "No, I will. She won't be able to attend as a MACO we both know that. I will also see if she has any friends who would be interested in joining her. We need security and it will have to be a woman to act as a date." It was strange to have Kate play such a role, however he had a feeling what ever was going on even Suran would be an asset. He quickly rose from his desk, "Where is the Major?" he asked after a moment.

Suran looked at Soval and replied simply, "She and Major Cole are currently in the training room, she had invited Cole to practice in the simulator. Apparently Kruss is testing her along with several guards and had permitted her an ally." Kruss was once again torturing Kate, he wouldn't have minded it as much if it wasn't interfering with his plans. While he disliked the idea that she would give her life for his, he had slowly come to realize she was incredibly clever and in all honesty he would have hired her if she wasn't Admiral Forrest's daughter.

"Thank you, Suran. Please get my robes from Vulcan and have a tailor come as well, I will wear my clan robes," he stated. With that he left the room in search of Kate and had a feeling he would be meeting one of her colleagues.

Everything in his life revolved around two things, moves and counter moves, all he had to do was wait it out. If he could determine the next move he would be able to push them out. The Gala was going to be something and he knew he needed Kate, the question was just what would happen. They had 2 weeks; he doubted Terra Prime would over look such an opportunity.

~~vOv~~

Adrenalin, once it hits the blood stream the world evaporates and the senses become acute. There was a flash in the dark and several shouts. The sound of boots slamming against the floor seemed to echo amongst the chaos. Flying in the distance just out of reach was the goal, a silver flag. Kruss had decided a game of 20 on 2 was fair, how he had determined such a task was considerable for them was beyond the only two humans in this game. Amanda leapt over a barrier, her chest was heaving and her chestnut hair was plastered to her forehead. She tipped her head back and took greedy gulps of air, "Kate," she panted. Kate was by her side, holding one of the lasers.

Kruss had decided that laser tag with them wearing special sensors was the only reasonable option. "Yeah?" asked Kate as she adjusted the laser and checked it's charge, she still had a black case on her back. She had yet to find a place to set up shop, "Look, you need to get to higher ground, I'll get the damn flag, you cover my ass," she stated as she held her hand for the other laser. Kate stared at Amanda, "Only your ass? I thought you liked your tits too," she said with a wicked grin.

Amanda smirked, her lips curling up deviously as she punched Kate in the arm playfully, "Yeah, yeah, next you're going to tell me it's a huge target." Kate looked around teasingly before pointing to herself, "Me? Where did you get that idea?" she asked lightly as several shots whizzed over their heads, their bright blue glow spelling out that they had to high tale it out of there. Amanda snorted as she knelt on the floor, sweeping her fingers over her belt and adjusting several charge boxes as she did so and slipped her fingers into black gloves. Her hands moved quickly as she adjusted them and slipped her hair behind her ear as she adjusted her ear piece. Her brown eyes held a spark of interest as she crouched down, "Okay, you have to get to that ledge, once there give me the signal and I'll move," she stated.

Kate nodded as she tightened her ponytail and crouched opposite of Amanda, after a moment she looked around the corner and noticed a pair of Vulcan's approaching, the ledge was several paces back and she would have to jump on top of several large dividers to reach it. "Cover me," stated Kate before she bolted from her spot. Her blue eyes narrowed as she glared at several large walls that were in her way. Immediately the Vulcan team locked on her, their shots flew past her as she wove in the maze of walls set up by Kruss, it wasn't entirely fair seeing as Kruss knew the maze and was on the other team as their captain, but she had grown accustomed to these actions from him. Each time she rose to the occasion and would out do herself, this time wasn't going to be an exception.

The walls were made of a slick tan stone and her fingers brushed over it as she jumped over a broken section of one of the walls and crossed into another portion of his maze. The ledge was perfect; she would be able to see the entire room from there, an ideal vantage point and could cover Amanda. Kate adjusted the bag on her back, the large and long black rectangular case was slightly cumbersome, but she would deal with it. It wasn't that she wasn't used to it, it had been a while since she had carried such a case in this way. While hand to hand combat was mandatory for all MACOs, especially since she would be in close quarters with the Ambassador, they also had the ability to choose two other specializations, some chose old school archery, others knives. She had selected something a little more specialized and difficult to learn.

She stopped abruptly before the massive wall and looked up, it was going to be quite a climb and she wondered if Soval's wife had intended this room to be used as such, then again Vulcan's typically had a great deal of foresight when dealing with security measures. She looked up at the wall and noticed several foot holds, she had a feeling Kruss was going to use them, apparently this was going to be harder than she perceived, as if Kruss would have it any other way.

A smirk split her lips as she jumped with ease and latched onto the foot holds before beginning to free climb up the side. She was thankful for all the rock climbing she had done at Yosemite and various canyons around the world, clearly it was beneficial to her, even if it was more Amanda's thing. Kate continued up the wall, the shots seemed to die down and she noticed that the total noise between the teams was approaching silence. They were getting close to the flag and attempting to slip past Amanda.

There were always drawbacks to having a small team, one of them was that it was impossible to play offense and defense at the same time, not with what Kate intended to do. Kruss had the advantage; he had 20 men, designed the room and knew where both flags were. She had Amanda, and while her odds of beating Kruss with Amanda were good, they were about to improve exponentially.

Amanda's voice cracked through the line, "Kitty, don't kill yourself," she chided. Kate ignored her in favor of getting to the ledge. Her arms weren't as tired as most people's would be, years worth of climbing experience had taught her the importance of maintain muscle tone. Kate drew a deep breath before slipping over the side of the ledge and onto a large flat shelf that protruded from the wall, it was just large enough for her to accomplish what she desired.

Kate quickly knelt on the ground and began opening the large black case. "Hurry up, they've located our flag and me," hissed Amanda with irritation. The blonde rolled her eyes as she pulled out a sleek black weapon, it was long and she could feel the power through her fingers, and she hadn't even fired it yet. "Don't get your panties in a twist," she chided as she laid down on the hard platform.

There was a snort from the other end and Amanda shot, "I'm not wearing them, so how can I get them in a twist?" she asked. Kate smirked, typical Amanda shenanigans, "Oh?" asked Kate as she looked down the sight. "Yup, boxers," she stated. Kate hummed, she would ask the name of the guy but knowing Amanda, wouldn't tell. If Soval thought she was wild, he had yet to see what Amanda could do, but valued her privacy – one of the many reasons why she didn't become a member of a security team for any of the Ambassadors.

Amanda wasn't a fan of deviating and had oddly placed an enormous amount of trust in Kate. It didn't help that she was one of the few people in their year who was good with distance shooting. Her father had taught her how to use a phaser, she was using them long before most and found she liked distance shooting better than most other forms. While close hand to hand combat was her second favorite this was her first.

"Amanda, start counting," she commanded as she pulled the long black case off her back. "10," she began. Kate quickly pulled out a long body and began setting it up, it's long slender barrel and sleek body was cool between her fingers, "7," said Amanda. Kate wasn't listening as she got on her stomach, "3" called Amanda. Kate looked through the scope to see Amanda moving through the maze, "2," she stated. Kate went looking for the flag and as Amanda said "1," she found the silver banner.

Kate held the massive riffle looking phaser in place as she said, "It's in front of you directly, I'll guide you." Amanda was quick to bolt, as the brunet wove through the walls Kate decided to help a little. Before a single Vulcan got a shot off they found themselves out. Once the vest was shot the phaser lost the ability to fire and they were forced out of the game.

Her eyes never left the scope as she took a shot at each of them, she heard the sound of the charge leaving the chamber and felt the energy twist around her fingers, a residual charge from the bolt leaving the gun. Her heartbeat was steady as she kept count, between each shot, and she watched as each member of Kruss team fell to their knees in defeat. There wasn't anything distracting her from her task, guiding Amanda came naturally, as naturally as firing the long distance phaser.

"Take a left, and then five paces forward," she instructed her tone steady and calm, there wasn't a hint of urgency to it. She had control, finally she had an advantage over Kruss, she could fire down upon him and he didn't have a chance to force her to stop. The residual electricity made her spine tingle, and her finger tips, she had control.

Amanda slid out of the way and down another corridor. "Amanda. Hold, I have to take out the protection detail," she stated. She heard Amanda confirm as she took her aim, Kruss was standing before the flag. She would know him from anywhere. His back was ridged and he had a small firearm in his hand, he looked ready to take Amanda on in hand to hand, something Kate wasn't about to allow. While Amanda was strong, she wasn't strong enough to take on a Vulcan, not even she was personally.

Her heart was pounding and she could feel the rush, it was clouding her. The thought of Kruss harming Amanda like he had caused harm to Soval brought her out of her tranquil state. She blinked as she attempted to focus, it was said a good sniper could shoot a shot between heartbeats. In the past they would have a watch before them, and even take medication to slow their heart rate in an attempt to give them more time. Her father though wasn't a supporter of medication when it was possible to pull the trigger without thinking.

Kate stared down the scope of the weapon, Amanda was drawing nearer and she had a single shot before Kruss pointed his attention to her. She had a feeling he was searching everywhere but where she was. Then again, very few could make the shot she was about to. He was over 300 feet away and he kept walking behind a barrier, it was going to be an impossible shot due to the fact she had to hit the vest for the shot to register. She had taken out the rest of his team, and those she didn't shoot Amanda felt free to deal with.

She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath, slowly her heart fell at her will. The beating lessened as she adjusted her grip on the cold metal. Just after opening her eyes she noticed Kruss was glaring at her, she smirked he found her and sadly, for him, she had a shot. She inhaled as she squeezed the trigger, exhaling as the shot left the muzzle of the weapon. The sound ringing in her ears as the electricity curled around her fingers causing them to tingle pleasantly. She watched the single shot fly and hit Kruss squarely in the chest. He looked alarmed as Amanda jumped onto the ledge.

Amanda ran with grace toward the tall flag, jumping over several obstacles set up by Kruss. Kate smiled as she took out the other two guards it was easy. As Amanda reached for the flag Kate heard something shift over the edge. She quickly looked down to see two unfamiliar security guards climbing the wall. Both of them wore blank expressions, Kruss had clearly given them an order and he was a distraction. "Amanda, snatch the flag, I've been compromised," she stated.

It didn't take Amanda much to grab the flag and in that second all the lights flickered on and the game was called to completion. Amanda carried the flag with grace as she did a flip off the wall. Kate quickly slipped the massive rifle back into its case and slung it over her shoulder. The two Vulcans finished climbing and one of the asked, "May we assist you?" Kate paused and looked at the pair, and then back to the case, she hadn't anticipated that. Honestly she thought the entire security force hated her, "No, thanks though… um?" she asked as she looked at the pair of Vulcans. One of them had light brown hair and the other black, both had large dark brown eyes. They seemed young, at least they did in comparison to Kruss who seemed middle aged and Suran who she knew was well over 150. "I am Avarin," said the young Vulcan with brown hair, his tone was empty but she could tell he was actually interested in her. She turned her attention to the young man beside him, "I am Vach," he replied simply.

Kate smiled a little and nodded to them as she closed the case, "I'm Major Katharine Forrest, call me Kate. Where are you guys usually posted?" she asked curiously. Kruss had a large number of members for privet security, and yet she had hardly seen these two around. "We are stationed in the gardens outside of the enclosed foyer, Major Forrest," replied Avarin. Kate nodded she was about to state where she usually was posted when she realized they guaranteed knew, she was the only human in the consulate after all that worked for the Ambassador and she had been spotted at a number of events at his side. "We are honored that you serve us," said Vach. That confirmed her suspicion. She tucked a lose piece of hair behind her ear before standing and swinging the bag over her shoulder.

Before she jumped down she noticed the Ambassador enter, he was speaking with one of the security officers. "Where is Major Forrest?" he asked.

Kate glared at him, she wasn't sure what he was up to, but when ever she was addressed as Major, it wasn't something good. The Vulcan looked up at her and replied, "Up there, Osu." Soval looked up, there was something akin to shock and irritation in his eyes, she had a feeling it was over the fact that she had perched up there. Kate hummed as she slipped over the side and began climbing down the wall. She wasn't anywhere near as insane as Amanda, which one would jump regardless of the danger.

The wall seemed more forging this time as she climbed down and jumped to land before Ambassador Soval, his dark eyes fell on the case on her back and then to Kruss who looked more irritated than usual with her. Kate smiled a little, she loved it when she razzed Kruss, it was a gentle reminder to the Vulcan that for as much misery he caused her, she didn't have an issue returning the favor. "Major Forrest, a word," said Soval quickly. Kate nodded in response and noticed Amanda had appeared, she looked as though she were going to speak but fell silent.

Clearly the Ambassador had some pressing issues, he didn't interrupt training sessions without reason. She followed his long strides down the hallway, his elegant robes billowing as he did so, it was honestly a sight how he moved. He paused in midstride and she took that as a moment to walk beside him, "Major Forrest," he said with ease, "Suran has acquired a new PADD for you to use specifically inside the consulate." Kate stared at him, she knew she probably smelt terrible but to have him speak with her before a shower was unusual.

"Wonderful," she said with satisfaction. It was logical for him to seek another device for to use, she would just have to do some activity on the infected PADD so the watcher wouldn't realize she wasn't using it. "It is blank, you will have to load it, if you do not have time I can have Suran do so as he loads ours," he stated. Kate stared at him in shock, there wasn't anything wrong with their PADDs, however, she wasn't one to question a Vulcan who realized resources were scarce.

She continued to walk with him and replied, "I'll take a look at it, thank you." She had a feeling he had something to do with it. After all he wasn't enthusiastic about her keeping it. "There is something else I would like to bring to your attention," he began, he was stalling. Ambassador Soval of Vulcan never stalled, ever. It wasn't something he did, or at least Kate thought he didn't. "There is an event in two weeks time, one that is of great importance, to the Collation," he stated. Now she had his attention, it was possibly a conference but there hadn't been one scheduled for a while, at least with the calendar Suran had provided her with. Unless it was an emergency meeting, but she would be informed at the same time as him, it was simply a part of the job.

Kate turned her attention to him fully, there had to be something serious occurring if this was her first time hearing it. "Major Forrest, do you know how to waltz?" he asked.

~~vOv~~

The ship was quiet, there had been little action since the incident except for Archer going from planet to planet and trading stations in an attempt to gather the necessary information about the weapon's signatures. Irritation still burned him as he thought of the fact that the Vulcan High Counsel didn't trust Soval. Originally he couldn't stand the Vulcan until he had actually sat down and spoke with him. He could still remember the conversation, Soval wanted the same things, all he wanted was peace. In so many ways Soval reminded Archer of Admiral Forrest. He smiled solemnly as he looked at the rosewood box on his desk. He hadn't worked up the courage to open the journal and read it.

There was a ring at the door and he called, "Come in." The door to his quarters slid open and he noticed T'Pol standing in the doorway with a PADD. "May I come in?" she asked hesitantly. He was confused until he realized he was sitting at his desk and still attempting to compose his latest report. As of late his mind had been wandering, "Of course," he said after rising to his feet. T'Pol swept into the room with her usual grace, her dark eyes were locked on him and she stood at attention. Her hands clasped behind her back as she spoke, "I have the readings from all the bases in question, Hoshi has just received the final set. I will be evaluating them soon."

Archer nodded as he looked at the Vulcan before him, he had asked for her to see him, "T'Pol, have you been able to get the recent tests preformed by the VSA?" he asked after a moment, he knew all too well they wouldn't speak with him. He had a higher chance of them communicating freely with T'Pol. She drew a deep breath and replied evenly, "They have not replied." The Captain hummed, the data with the VSA would at least give him some idea as to the possible outcomes. He nodded after a moment, "Okay, keep me posted on that, I was wondering if you knew why the letter was also addressed to you?" he looked at the box on the table and T'Pol followed his gaze. He noticed a hint of confusion in her expression before she replied, "No, sir. I was confused as to why I was included," she replied.

The answer was in the journal, as was the memory of a man he had seen as a father. "Captain, the late Admiral did state it was for you to read, the answer is in it," she stated, Archer gave a small smile, as always she had some idea as to what was bothering him. He nodded and replied, "I know, I just feel as though I'm touching his soul. That book it's been with him for a very long time, I know it." He didn't usually open up to T'Pol, he really didn't think she understood – emotions were a human thing. She slowly walked over to his desk, her slender fingers wrapped around the rosewood box and she cradled it in her hands before turning to him, "Sir, he trusted us with it, and more specifically he asked you to keep it safe for his daughter. We should honor his wish," she stated as she held the box out to him.

Archer looked at the box which rested in her palms, he collected it and didn't make a single remark about how incredibly human she sounded. The truth was a Vulcan also treasured loyalty and honor, T'Pol was no exception. "It is nearly midnight, I will retire. Good Night, Captain," said T'Pol after a moment before excusing her self. Archer looked at the box and then to Porthos who was wide awake. He was still standing in his loungers and black tee shirt. "Come on boy, let's go for a walk," he said softly.

Porthos jumped up and quickly trotted after his friend. It wasn't right to cuddle up with the journal in his quarters, and reading it in the Ready Room, also wasn't an option. There was only one place to read it, he walked through the decks of the ship, a majority of the crew was either sleeping or so preoccupied that they didn't seem to notice him. Archer stood before a large silver door and quickly opened them. The observation deck was empty, it would be for at least the next four hours as a bulk of the crew slept. He looked over at the replicator in the corner and decided to brew a cup of coffee. Porthos slipped over to the side of the room before leaping onto a chair and curling up in it.

The scent of coffee brought him to the present as he collected the hot mug from the replicator and walked over to the table near where Porthos had decided to sit. He placed the mug on the table and moved a chair so it was next to Porthos. Once situated he opened the box and pulled out the battered journal, it's leather cover was soft under his fingers and the pages were far more supple than they had been when first purchased. Archer opened the book to the very first page and was immediately greeted by the script of the one person he considered his best friend and father.

"_22 January 2115_

_All journals start with an introduction I guess, and a lot of people are always telling me I'm too old for a journal. The way I see it, I should have started one a long time ago. I'm currently 25 years old, and I think I've just met __"The One"__. I know, I know, I'm jumping the gun, but I'm telling you, she's it! I can feel it. I'm getting ahead of myself; my name is Maxwell, only a few people call me Max. I have no idea who I'm writing to, but I know someday, someone out that will find this journal and I hope I have an interesting enough life for them. _

_Back to this girl, she's gorgeous,"_

Archer chuckled, Max was always in love with Angela, he could still remember all the times he would see her picture in his office. There was always a new photo on his desk, the pair were meant for each other. He looked back at the journal and continued to read.

"_She's got beautiful brown hair and golden skin. Yeah, she's got a nice figure and voice, but the thing that had me, the one thing I knew I wanted to see again, those eyes. She had the most beautiful Ocean blue eyes I've ever seen; they are as vivid as the Caribbean, and deep as the Atlantic. I met her the funniest way, I was walking through the park to get to the coffee shop when I got hit with a leaf, one of those large ones, right in the face. Anyway, I ended up walking into her, I literally knocked her over. Of course she cursed me out, to be honest, it was kind of funny. _

_I was going to apologize and went to pick up her books, which by the way a woman her height shouldn't carry so many books – 12 large volumes is a bit much for someone her size – our hands brushed and that's when she looked up at me._

_Dear god, I've never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. Instead of finishing her long line of cursing, she blushed and apologized."_

Archer paused, brown hair, ocean blue eyes, and golden skin, Angela had green eyes. He was confused for a moment, until he realized this woman must have been the one he met before Angela. He closed his eyes and pictured a young Max walking through the park on an autumn day, he was probably wearing one of his favorite chunky cable knit sweaters and a pair of dark blue jeans. It was difficult to see a man younger than the one he had come to respect, then again, they were all 25 once.

The image of the mystery woman cropped up and he smiled, Max always did have a thing for brunets, at least that was what Angela always told him.

"_I forgave her instantly and ended up kneeling on the ground even after her books were stacked, neither of us seemed to remember that we were in the park. I stammered for a good 10 minutes, somehow looking at her made me forget my own name. I really am a moron sometimes. _

_Anyway, after that moment she laughed at me and rose to her feet, 'I'm Max,' that was all I could say, and even that came out garbled. She chuckled, I loved that sound and really wanted to hear it again. She thanked me and was going to just walk away. I ended up chasing her down, I had to have her name. I just needed to know what it was, I didn't care about an address or communication extension, her name. Someone as beautiful had to have a beautiful name. _

_There was a kite competition and I had to cut through the grounds in an attempt to reach her. She was moving quickly and didn't mind cutting through the trees or bushes. I called out to her several times, I think she heard me but was enjoying the chase too much to respond. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who has chased her, and anyone who doesn't has something wrong with them. _

_I followed her through some trees and found myself in a secluded part of Central Park, there wasn't a soul there. I didn't see her, and honestly felt as though she had ditched me. Of course I was an idiot and cursed myself for being so easy to lead on. I never was good at realizing when someone was interested and when someone was toying with me. _

_Just as I was about to leave a pair of hands wrapped around my head, they were slender and soft. Of course I was disoriented and tempted to throw the individual using a Judo throw. When I heard her, that airy musical voice from the park, she whispered in my ear, _

'_I'm Katharine Monroe.'_

_She removed her hands and walked before me, she had placed her books on a rock and now I got to see her standing in her black v-neck sweater with purple scarf and tight dark blue skinny jeans. Katharine Monroe, it suites her."_

Archer stared at the journal, Katharine Monroe. There was now way Kate wasn't named after this mystery woman, it would be far too suspicious if she wasn't. He had always thought Kate was named after the Czar Katharine the Great, not someone else. Definitely not another woman, and more importantly a former lover, Angela wouldn't have allowed it. She couldn't have, "Would she?" he asked hesitantly. He looked down at the page and began to read again, he didn't understand why he needed to know this, but trusted Max.

"_She didn't tell me anything else, other than to meet her there at 3 pm, tomorrow. I'm glad I don't have another round of training. Classes are tough and I'm currently a cadet for Starfleet, much to my father's displeasure. He wanted me to join the Marines."_

Archer turned the page and fell into the memories of a 25 year old man, one that was in love with a beautiful, mysterious woman and working hard in school.

"_18 May 2115_

"_Kate and I have been dating for a while now, I finally know more about her. She's a photographer! I was so upset when I walked into her studio today, well where she said her office was, I thought she was shooting porn, seriously too many guys wearing hardly anything. It wasn't until I walked into the studio I saw the project, I was stunned by it. I had expected water and skimpy outfits only to see the world very differently._

_Standing against a beige screen were the models, it was an explosion of color, fabrics and ideas. I was stunned to say the least. Kate was standing before them with a camera in hand, an old school one with lenses and all. She called it an SLR, what ever that means. Anyway, each of the individuals being photographed had the colors of their home nation painted on them in some way, and wore their traditional clothes or waved flags. _

_I couldn't bring myself to interrupt her energy as she arranged subjects, demanded more light, more color, more expression. She was barking out commands and made it look easy. Somehow her world revolved around what she could see through the viewfinder, it's a special one that I don't understand, yet."_

Those images sounded familiar, very familiar. Archer paused as he read the words once again, flags of nations and their colors. "The UN project," he whispered, "Katharine Monroe was the photographer." The project was famous for a number of reasons, it captured Earth at peace and was what had inspired a similar project for Starfleet's entryway. Katharine became famous after the shoot, the images were powerful and used all over the world, but known as a permanent exhibit at the UN Building. Even the Vulcan's had viewed the exhibit and asked for copies when Earth had sent the exhibit to Vulcan. Of course the photos were more than welcome, and they were well received. There was a rumor that they would contact the photographer but the story seemed to vanish.

It was no wonder why Max was upset by the attack on the UN, Kate's work was still there and he had a feeling that he had visited it many times.

"_She laughed at me for being jealous, and convinced me to 'strip and get dirty'. She painted something else on me, it was in only midnight blue and metallic silver. She had painted my chest and a portion of my face midnight blue, and then added a thick band of diamond and circular shaped silver stars. It looked as though it were part of a Galaxy. She then painted a thick circle around it and added a pair of silver laurels to each side."_

This time Archer dropped the journal, which was the exact description of the seal of the Coalition of Planets. He had heard rumor that Max had done the design, now he knew the truth, it wasn't Max's design, it was suggested by Max but designed by the woman he loved. He stared at the journal, there was a small sketch of it, the words seemed to wrap around it. Max loved Kate at least he had learned that from his reading until then, yet, it didn't explain how her body paint became the seal for something so important.

He picked up the journal and continued.

"_I was embarrassed, even though she looked at me hungrily and had done the paint herself. Her fingers were warm and traced my skin in ways I knew had nothing to do with applying paint. It was one of the most erotic things I allowed her to do. She had me wear a pair of black pants and stand barefoot before her. Of course I was terrified._

_Kate laughed at me and told me 'Just relax and be your typical strong and smart self', I have no idea what she meant by that. I did relax and she took the photo. I haven't seen it yet, she said she would start processing them tomorrow. _

_I did ask her why that emblem and she told me simply, I was too brave to represent a single nation. I was the perfect person to represent humanity and perhaps even other species to form a united galaxy. Peace, she spoke of peace in ways one would speak of love. Then again, peace and love, they're pretty much the same, right?_

_Anyway, she came over and is currently lying next to me in my sheets, her hair is still wet and she's practically glowing from our deeds. She decided to 'help' get the paint off. Well, we can't get the blue tint to go away, but the 'help' was very much appreciated. I still can't get the image of her in the shower out of my head. Or the sound of her moans and her soft skin._

_I think I'm falling for her, it terrifies me and at the same time thrills me. I just hope she feels the same way."_

Archer stared at the pages, his coffee had long since gone cold those precious hours had slipped through his fingers and the Captain found himself being stared at by Trip and Malcolm. He snapped the journal closed and said simply, "A request from a friend," before placing the journal in the box. He didn't wait for a reply as he left the Observation Deck. The entire way back to his room, he imagined a young Max Forrest, Cadet of Starfleet, with a beautiful Katharine Monroe, a talented photographer.

Now he certainly understood why the journal had to be read, Starfleet wasn't just something the Admiral was involved with. It was something he had created because of this woman, a mystery woman who wasn't his wife. Questions buzzed in his mind as he wondered why they didn't marry and what had happened to the women the Admiral had been head over heals with.

~~vOv~~

Soval watched her keenly, the question hanging in the air, it was a valid one considering it was customary for the Ambassador's and their partners to share a dance. While he himself didn't traditionally participate since he usually brought and aid, he had a feeling he would be asked to comply with Kate's presence. If she was unable he would have an instructor brought in to teach her both traditional waltz and the Vulcan equivalent since new he would no longer have an excuse to not demonstrate the few dances they had. "Major?" he asked curiously as he looked at a very confused and blushing young blonde MACO. He thought it would benefit him if he eased into the question, as apposed to simply dropping the event on her. Apparently he had been incorrect, that was official the last time he would listen to Archer on any matters that involved speaking with a human of something of importance.

She moved her mouth for a few moments before crossing her arms and closing her eyes. He had seen her do this when ever she was at a loss for what to say, it was a rare event, but one which he had witnessed a few times. "Waltz? Me? Why?" she asked, it wasn't coherent or eloquent but he could tell she was attempting to understand what his line of question was leading to. "There is a Gala in two weeks time, it is a major event and every Ambassador is expected to attend, as well as Admirals of Starfleet and esteemed planetary dignitaries," he began, "I am unable to take personal security with me, it's frowned upon."

Kate suddenly understood and he watched her posture relax, "So you are asking me to attend as a date? Rather than security," she asked tentatively. Soval could tell she wasn't very keen on the concept, he knew he was difficult but didn't believe he was that repulsive, unless he had truly pushed her to that point. "Yes, is that an issue?" he asked, "I could simply ask for an exception to be made, although it is highly unlikely." Her blue eyes lowered and he noticed she had her hands on her hips, her gaze fell on the floor as she chewed on her lower lip, another habit that he hadn't discovered until recently.

Oddly she felt comfortable enough to show him this side of her, it wasn't typically condoned however since they were alone and this was rather unusual in many ways he would allow it. "No, I understand. What about Suran? He will require an escort as well," she stated and immediately she was standing before him as a professional rather than a young woman who was in an awkward position. She had voiced his one major concern, "Do you have anyone you trust to work as a guard?" he asked.

Instantly she recognized the question and replied, "Yes, Amanda, she was in the room with me today. We attended school together and went through survival training too. She's one of the best at what she does." He had yet to meet Amanda, "Cole, Amanda Cole. You can probably ask to view her file, or I could simply acquire it," Katharine stated with an air of simplicity. He internally growled, he didn't like the notion of just how she might acquire something of that nature, yet he couldn't currently. It was a matter of who to trust and even if her means weren't honorable, she could produce results that were needed.

"Unnecessary, if you trust her than so will I. Kruss will need evidence," he stated. As those words left his lips he noticed a look of pride in her eyes, it was a glint that had made him tingle a little. She typically looked at him with irritation or even anger, yet in that moment he could see her pride in not only her self but the fact he trusted her. He did trust her, he trusted her than she would ever know. "Thank you, sir," she said boldly, her voice swelled a little. He gave her a stiff nod in understanding.

He still desired to know about the waltz, "Why did you ask if I was able to waltz?" she asked. Soval continued walking and beckoned for her to follow, "It is customary for all Ambassadors to dance the entry waltz, I have managed to avoid it in the past because I have always had a male aide at my side. This time however, since you will be my escort," he stated, "There is a high probability that I will have to participate." He could still remember the lesson that Angela had given him on Viennese Waltz, it was formal, structured and oddly something he found enjoyable. Angela was the only human he had danced with, at the request of Max.

Angela seemed reluctant, but wasn't too upset, she seemed to be calm while dancing with him. Then again she smelt of scotch and a touch of bourbon, the smell overpowered him. She was most likely inebriated. "Well I'm not stellar at the Waltz, I'm better with the Fox Trot," she stated and blushed a little before rubbing her neck. Soval titled his head, he had seen the dance at the event once before it was danced by Admiral Forrest and his wife. Angela wasn't the best at it, but the Admiral would go through several partners in a single dance.

Katharine smiled a little as she held her hands behind her back and he noticed a subtle sway in her steps, "When I was little, my dad and I would sit on the couch and he brought out these movies from the 1940s and 1950s. I told him I wanted to learn how to dance like the gals from the silver screen with their captains and lieutenants," she explained, her slang was something from another time it was strangely welcome. "Well he did some research and learned it was called the Fox Trot, he had never really learned how to dance, other than the basic waltz and Viennese later, just so he could do his duty as the hosting Admiral," she explained with fondness, "So my father searched San Francisco for someone to teach us, he had connived mom into agreeing to it. Only for the last person he expected to actually be one of the better instructors," she paused and grinned.

Soval noticed the expression on her face, it was soft and she seemed comfortable with him. It was rare for her to be so open, and he realized the only reason she was sharing this with him was because he had known her father. He was perhaps one of the few people on the planet who was considered family, at least he was according to the letter. "He found a studio owned by a woman named Madeline Reed, who danced modern dance, the one who taught Ballroom was the last person dad ever thought would be one a dance floor," she teased and chuckled, "Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, the Senior Armory Officer of the USS Enterprise."

That wasn't the answer he expected, the Englishman never struck him as a dancer. Soval attempted to imagine Malcolm dancing in a tuxedo like many of the officers and realized it was impossible. He had only seen the Lieutenant in uniform, and he was a very privet person from what little T'Pol had told him. "Malcolm looked terrified of my father, honestly he turned ashen and almost fainted, I think it was because he was in tights," she explained, amusement wrapping around her tone as she did so. He fought to keep his smile from breaking across his lips. "Well he got over it after Dad promised not to tell anyone. Dad and I danced together as we listened to lessons from a man with a thick English accent. He's actually really smooth on the floor, both dad and Mal," she stated.

Fox Trot, he contemplated learning the dance after hearing the tale, not to simply please her to but remember a man who had taken the time to do something special with his daughter. "I am willing to learn this dance, if you are willing to waltz," he stated as he folded his hands before him. Katharine looked at him for a moment, he could tell she was deciding whether or not to take him up on it. "Alright, on the condition you help me with something, I'll have to teach Amanda, she only knows hip hop, and I have a feeling I'm going to need back up," she stated.

"Agreed," he said simply, it was only logical for him to ensure Suran also had a suitable escort, even if he had yet to see the woman in question. Katharine smiled and asked, "Is these a specific theme or is it just a Gala?" A dress, he knew she would need one, and replied, "No, it's up to you. I know little of Human fashion." She nodded before pausing, they were outside his office, Suran was sitting at his desk and looked curiously between them. It was only then he realized it was her attire that confused him, "That's all Major, when you are presentable please brief Major Cole," he stated.

Katharine saluted him and then left. Suran arched a brow and looked to the Ambassador, "Suran, tea and the latest report on our economic state as well as state of affairs here on Vulcan," he commanded. "Yes, Osu," he replied as he walked into his office. Only when he had the door closed did he looked up to see his reflection in the glass. His lips were cured in a smile and he glared at his reflection, he needed to meditate, and concentrate on the issues at hand.


	9. The Heart of a Sehlat

**Author's Note: Here is the latest chapter, I took some time with it. Originally I was going to break it into two, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. I wanted you guys to read it all in one shot and enjoy it. So here it is! I hope you enjoy what I have planned.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight: The Heart of a Sehlat <strong>

Fear is like a poison, it spreads through the body rapidly, wrecking havoc in its wake. Once it has entered the blood stream it contaminates and kills all it touches. It is primitive, so much so that even the scent of it will send other animals into either attack or to run, the classic example of the fight or flight reflex. As a storm brews off the coast, the animals in land often become hyperaware and will more likely than not act out. The closer the storm becomes and the larger it grows, causing even more turbulence.

The water was refreshing against sweat slick skin, washing away the evidence of the exercise that she had just partaken in. Blond hair fell over bronze skin, several long scars slipped over delicate shoulders and ended just above her bottom. Blue eyes were closed as she tipped her head back, another long scar travelling down her left arm. Each scar was red and the heat of the water only made them more pronounced. The scent of musk, wild flowers and wood filled her nose, as a white lather was left in the wake of a natural sea sponge. A sigh of relief followed as slender fingers slowed and she looked at the tile wall. "Kate," called a familiar voice.

Kate turned her head toward the bathroom door and she asked, "Yeah, Amanda?" Amanda paused and she listened to a shuffle, "Can I come in for a second?" she asked. Kate hummed as she contemplated the request, it wouldn't be the first time Amanda had seen her in such a level of undress, they had been room mates at Star Fleet, and Amanda was one of the only people who had ever seen her scars. "Sure," she replied. The door opened quickly and she stared at the brunet who was dressed in a red loose blouse with a pair of white pants on. Her brown eyes seemed even more vivid and she slowly leaned against the sink, "This Gala," she began and Kate sighed, Amanda was always one to talk business in the most awkward of moments.

The brunet glared and crossed her arms, "Look Kate, it's not that I'm not honored to be asked to work as protection to the Vulcan Ambassador and Aid, I am. However," she paused as she crossed her ankles and looked at the floor, "this, something about it doesn't feel right. We are walking into a trap," she stated. Kate sighed as she hung the sponge on the side and placed her hands on her hips. She knew it was, "The Gala is an annual event, which makes it delicate," she stated. Amanda lifted her gaze and she could tell the woman wasn't amused, in fact her decision to heir on the side of caution was logical.

Kate ran her fingers through her soaked hair and continued, "Look, I have to do the event, the Ambassador must as well as Suran. You have a choice, you can always reject." Amanda snorted and shook her head, "Yeah right, and leave you to it. No. Look you need all the help you can get," she stated as she pointed at Kate. The blonde turned the shower off and stepped out. Amanda's gaze raked over her nude body, it wasn't unusual or a secret that Amanda didn't mind sleeping with both genders. Kate stood before her comfortably, they were more sisters than anything, "You're still beautiful," said Amanda softly as she reached behind her and pulled a soft white towel.

It was fluffy and seemed to float in the air as Amanda held it out to Kate. "Thanks," she said softly as she began to dry herself, "I don't think I am." Amanda's lips twisted as her expression soured, "You can't possibly tell me that the reason you haven't really dated anyone was because of that prick," she hissed. Kate flinched back as she wrapped the towel around her body, it was warm and soft against her skin, nothing like the sandpaper texture he towels at home had. The Vulcan Embassy was tended to by maids, however Suran had given her a stack of towels after hers had been disposed of one evening due to texture. Unlike most of the consulate which had sonic showers, she had a hydro shower, which was unusual for the place.

Amanda took a step closer and wrapped her arms around Kate, "You can't live trapped in the past. He was a prick, and personally you should have let me shoot him," she stated. Kate nodded as she slowly pulled away, "Thanks Amanda," she said softly. The brunet ran a finger over Kate's cheek before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "Anything for you," she whispered as she pressed a kiss to Kate's head. Just then Amanda noticed a flicker, "You take your PADD with you when you shower?" she asked curiously. Kate laughed before nodding and reaching fro a brush, "Yeah, never know."

The brunette picked it up and stared, "HOLY SHIT!" she shouted causing Kate to wheel around. Brown eyes were locked on the screen as Amanda's lips parted, the color had drained from her face. Kate was by her side in seconds, the headline glared at her, "Bombing in London, several charges detonated destroying several interstellar consulates," she read aloud. She snatched the PADD and quickly opened her email, there was an official report. As she did so, the screen of her PADD flickered, "What the?" she asked in a panic as she stared at an emblem she had never seen, there was a screeching sound, followed by static.

She threw the door open and went to grab the PADD Suran had handed ordered for her, only to see the message on all the other monitors except the new device. "What?" she asked in confusion as she read the screen, "Act 1, more is to come," was all it said as images of the explosion flickered across the screen and the faces of victims, corpses in the streets and police scrambling.

All of the victims were alien, her stomach churned as she watched a Vulcan boy stare at his parents, eyes wide and shock settling in, he was about four. His small fingers were wrapped around the hand of his father's and she felt the urge to reach through the screen and wrap her arms around the child. Amanda gasped as she stared at the image, several more followed as the boy was ripped away from his father, small hands ever reaching for the man's lifeless vessel, as though there were something of value left inside.

Kate growled as she pulled the black PADD and attempted to track the signal, "Where is this coming from?" asked Amanda as she looked over Kate's shoulder. A growl left the young woman's lips, the signal was everywhere, literally. She couldn't find it's beginning or ending, it was as though it were be broadcast everywhere at the same time, rather than received. She hissed as she attempted to look at it more closely, "I can't track it, it's everywhere at once," she stated, her eyes widening as she did so. Kate's fingers danced with grace over the screen, as she search for even a hint into what was to come. "Leave, or more die," it said at the end, before flickering off.

Her blue eyes widened as he hands shook with anger, never before had she been unable to determine the origination of a signal. "God damn it," she hissed as she place the PADD to the side before she lost all control and threw it. Even with some of the most advanced technology she was unable to beat the signal. She ran her hand through her hair before jumping to attention, "I need to know this now, Amanda," she stated as she turned her complete attention to the brunette beside her. She turned to face her entirely, "Are you with me? Or against me?" she asked, her tone was cold and eyes unyielding.

"If you aren't with me, I suggest you leave and don't come back," she stated as she glared at Amanda. The brunets lips lifted into a grin, "Like I'd let you do this alone, you against the world is cool but let's face it, Cole and Forrest against the world, now that's something to be reckoned with," she stated. Kate nodded before slipping the towel off and walking over to her closet, "Good, come with me. We need to speak to Kruss, and see what's going on around the globe," she stated.

It only took her a moment to throw on her place slacks and a light blue button down shirt, she grabbed her blazer and rolled up the sleeves before slipping into her oxfords and throwing her hair into a pony-tail. Kate picked up her sidearm and both knives, she strode out of the room quickly, her shoes barely made a sound. "What's the plan?" asked Amanda as she trotted after Kate. The blonde rounded the corner and left the privet resiencdecne, sweeping past the staff, her eyes narrowed on the target. "Protect the Ambassador and his aid, and stop Terra Prime, you know save the world," she said with ease.

Amanda snorted as she slipped her hands into her pockets, "That's it? Surly you had something a little crazier in mind. Like I don't know, saving the Galaxy too," she teased. Kate smirked as she quickly jogged down the steps, Amanda falling in step beside her, striding with as much purpose as she did, "If it's on the menu," she stated. Amanda laughed dryly, it was insane and she knew that. Her priority was the Ambassador but she knew Ambassador Soval wasn't going to acquiesce. Soval was difficult, strong and who ever was behind this was also probably part of the weapons signature issues and economic turmoil on Vulcan.

She turned the corner and found her self outside the glass doors of the security office, just beyond them it was as though all hell had broken loose, she had never seen Vulcans scramble in such a way before, something else had occurred, something far more severe than just hijacking screens to broadcast a message. She looked at Amanda out of the corner of her eye and asked, "Ready?"

Amanda smiled and replied, "What do I have to lose?"

Kate pushed open the glass doors and stepped into a world of chaos, shouting in Vulcan occurred as they scrambled, "We are locked out! Security systems are compromised!" called one Vulcan, for all their suppression of emotion it clearly didn't work in these cases. Kruss was leaning over a frantically flashing screen, bars of red were across it and she noticed his eyes were filled with alarm, "Get it back," he barked. A young woman glared at him and spat, "We can't the system isn't allowing it." Kruss was working frantically, he hissed with irritation and she noticed not even his override was working. She was before him in seconds and had pulled up a screen, Amanda turned to the second in command and asked, "Physical security?"

The young man before her nodded, "I am working on increasing it, however the press is at the gates demanding a release," she stated. Kruss was frantic and Kate looked up at Amanda, "Cole, take care of the perimeter, Kruss and I will tend to the database," she snapped. Kruss was going to object until she leveled him with a glare, "You know the database better than I do, we can handle this, you've read her file, she can handle it," stated Kate sternly. Kruss relented and nodded before pointing to several men, "You three, aid her, get her what ever she needs. Right now you work for her. Major you have command of the perimeter and physical security," he stated.

With a snap Amanda was in full military mode and Kate turned her attention to the lines of code dancing on the screen, "What the fuck is this thing?" she asked as she attempted to slow it down. "I do not know, the figuration is unfamiliar to me," Kruss remarked. Kate wasn't surprised human code wasn't like Vulcan. She grit her teeth as she closed her eyes, Kruss looked up at her, she could feel his eyes boring into her skin. She slowly relaxed her shoulders, "Focus," she whispered. Her breath leaving her in a wave, her blue eyes snapped open as she pulled out her black PADD.

Kruss was confused as she snapped her fingers and the code appeared before her as a hologram hovering before the PADD. He stared in confusion as Kate manipulated it, "Of course," she stated before she noticed the pattern. Her fingers manipulated the code and soon enough it wasn't a code, it was something far more devastating. "It's a worm," she stated quickly, worms were her worst nightmare, "Someone is hijacking the system to take over later," she stated. Kruss looked even more alarmed, now she knew he was confused as well. If he was involved this clearly wasn't the plan.

The worm was chewing away at top secret files and she quickly attempted to slow it down, "I can't stop it," she said quickly. Kruss jerked his head up his eyes were cold and looked more like black tunnels than eyes, "What?" he asked, she knew he was seething. Kate smiled as she looked at him, only infuriating him more. "I said I can't stop it," she reiterated, "But, I can trick it." Confusion swept across his face as Kate looked at her PADD, she could do it, she just needed to set it up.

It would take a little work on her part but if she didn't do this they would all be killed. "How?" asked Kruss as he leaned against the board, his hands apart and she noticed the look of desperation on his face. The Head of Security for the Vulcan Consulate had just admitted to having now plan, he had relinquished control to her and Amanda, she had a feeling this was never in his playbook. "I need access to the server room, and a memory lattice," she stated as she finished a quick adjustment. With in seconds she was being handed a bright green crystal, it was far larger than she expected by one of the Vulcan's who had helped her in the game, "Follow me," commanded Kruss as he strode past her. Just as the doors open Kate watched him break into a sprint.

Even he had seen the need for such action, and she quickly followed his example.

~~vOv~~

Strength, it's a quality that every great leader must have, one which is often taken for granted but useless without motivation, and knowledge. There is also one more element, one that even the mind of a Vulcan possesses but doesn't dare speak of, passion. Passion to do what is seen as just and logical in a case of pure panic and mass confusion. These three things are powerful separately but infinitely more so when combines, the cocktail it's self is more powerful than the strongest Vulcan Port. Even the will of steel will bend in the hands of these individuals, leaders who desire it to do so.

The sound of a sharpening stone running across the rim of blade rang through the room. The bronze fan like blade winked in the sunlight as the black stone ran over it, with each pass the stone ground out imperfections and rejuvenated the blade. Calloused olive toned fingers held the stone firmly in place, their grip unyielding despite the trepidation hiding with in their owner. They slipped over the metal gently, a caress that was soft and tender, something one would use on a lover rather than a weapon. The pads of fingers swept over the blade, tracing the engraving of a string of Vulcan characters, before proceeding down the hilt, slipping over the sleek metal of the staff, the all too familiar weight of the silver bludgeoned on the other end balanced the entire weapon.

The scent of wood and mint curled in the room as the smoke from the incense burner wafted over toward the seated figure. In a flash the figure was on his feet, his hands wrapped around the staff of the weapon as he faced the doorway. "Osu," greeted a stiff voice, his eyes fell on Suran, who was wearing a pair of long flowing brown pants, he had a tunic wrapped around him self and stood awaiting Soval's permission to enter. "Enter," he stated as he slowly relaxed. Suran did as he was instructed. Soval felt a breeze from the window caress his skin, he had decided to leave his tunic off and stood before Suran in a pair of long black pants, the belt tied tightly around his waste. He knew all of his scars were visible, Suran didn't comment he simply picked up another Lirpa.

He held it with ease and said, "I was contemplating teaching Major Forrest how to wield a Lirpa." Soval adjusted his posture as Suran quickly twirled the lirpa in his hands, never allowing it to fall. He took a side step and adjusted himself so he was rooted to the floor, he could imagine Kate with the weapon, with her grace he had a feeling she would master it with ease. The image of her holding the glistening golden weapon in her hands made him wonder how much of his culture she would adopt as her own. "She will no doubt travel with us to Vulcan in the future and we need her versed in all types of weapons, not just Starfleet issued ones," Suran stated.

Soval was quiet, he knew she would need such information, it was imperative to her ability to aid them. However, the idea of her fighting another Vulcan concerned him, she was human and nowhere near the same strength, while he was aware she could fight he had no interest in ever watching her have to. "Suran, let us spar," he stated, it wasn't a request it was a command. Suran nodded as he adjusted his position, a smirk working its self on to his lips. Soval knew despite Suran's appearance a spar was one of the few things he looked forward to. Suran charged at Soval only to be met by an affective block, the sound of metal clashing rang through the room. Soval pushed him back and spun with grace swinging the blade of the lirpa as he did so, Suran narrowly missed contact with the blade. "Archer is more suitable," Soval stated as he artfully dodged Suran once again and lunged at the elder Vulcan.

Suran arched a brow, "Archery is admirable but a lirpa is more practical for close quarters," he stated. Soval's eyes narrowed as he pushed Suran back, irritation flaring as he did so, it wasn't about practicality, and it was about safety. He jabbed once more, Suran attempted to jump back avoiding each artful thrust. Just as Suran was about to dodge left Soval swiped his robes, causing them to tear and a trace of green blood to follow. "Both are necessary," he replied in a level tone before spinning the lirpa to deflect one of Suran's swipes. He shifted his weight back as Suran lunged, and slipped out of the way, he stayed balanced on his feet.

There was a growl as Suran quickly did an overhead strike, which Soval brought the staff of the lirpa up to block, he steeled himself as he felt the downward force of the strike hit the staff which he gripped parallel with both hands. His dark eyes narrowed as he looked at the pale gray eyes of Suran, "You do not agree," he stated, "Bow is an impressive skill and useful. Unless you suggest the spear." He knew Suran would never agree, spears weren't used by diplomats or those of high rank, they were reserved for foot guards who didn't leave chambers, they weren't expected to do much.

His limbs moved on their own accord as he blocked each thrust, evading them with grace and practice. He took a swift step forward, his feel gripping the wooden floor as he did so, Suran always wore slippers, he wasn't from a house which had nothing. Soval knew what it was like to live in poverty, he knew the weight of being a soldier and how to this day he was still seen as a soldier on an outpost in the middle of nowhere. Suran was from a powerful house in the capital, his family had prospered and as a child he had wanted for naught. Soval grit his teeth as he spun on his foot, blade swinging in synche with him, his eye never leaving the target, it was then he had managed to knock the lirpa from Suran's fingers.

The weapon fell with a clatter to the floor as he held the blade of the lirpa under Suran's chin. The Vulcan didn't waiver as he looked at Soval, "Osu," he said softly and Soval slowly pulled the blade away, "See that Major Forrest meets with Kruss, there has been an increase of violence among humans," he instructed. Suran nodded before leaving, Soval looked at the weapon in his hands and drew a deep breath, years of training had taught him to see things with logic and reason, never emotion. He drew a deep breath before glaring at the wall, with swift motions he ran through the fight. Only this time his motions were faster and even more precise.

Soval twisted with ease the rythem of his moements were in time with his heart, the beating was rapid and yelt calm. He knew his pulse was faster than that of the human, but the pulse was such a natural thing to follow, the beat of life. Suran found peace through meditation, like many Vulcans were supposed to, the enlightenment of logic guiding them, yet, he couldn't find it. He had been searching for it for the past 30 years, a fruitless endeavor. Peace meant to accept, and he couldn't accept this, never this. He had become the Ambassador to Earth out of pity, they pitied him. Anger boiled in his veins it was like poison and the green fires from his home clouded him as he moved faster, lunging and reaching even deeper for center.

Pity was an emotion which a Vulcan wasn't supposed to posses, it wasn't supposed to appear and yet they had sent him to Earth, a consolation for losing his wife and daughter. It was a slap, a harsh one that still stung, and now he was being questioned by every party including the leadership of his home world.

Instantly he stopped, "Home," he whispered. He looked at the lirpa in his hands and then out the window. His home wasn't there, his wife was gone and he hadn't returned to his estate since he had gone to Earth, while he visited Vulcan periodically, he stayed in the capital, always working on business. Yet, when he was on Earth, he very rarely left the walls of the consulate and if he did it was to attend an official event or Starfleet oriented issue. His shoulders dropped as he looked at the room, a room designed by his wife. He lived in the house she dreamed of creating, a consulate worthy of the Vulcan Ambassador.

He slowly closed his eyes, he could still remember her: those bright eyes, her warm tone of voice and the small smiles he coveted and cherished, her light brown hair and soft lips, all things that he remembered, he had grown to love her in the brief amount of time he had known her. Suddenly the place where he felt safe felt stifling, it was illogical and yet, it made sense. It was her essence that had been captured in every floor plan and beam, every tile and windowsill, she had given the consulate more than structure and strength – she gave it life, even if she never saw it built.

Clan colors were even a painful reminded, his house wasn't as large as most. His clan was small and while he had contributed greatly to society his family was known for working as chemists and botanists, his route as an Ambassador was radically different from theirs. He had chosen to bring worlds together and negotiate peace. His robes had been sitting in his family home since his wedding to his wife, a life time ago. Soval lifted his head and asked, "Where do I belong?" knowing no one was there to answer, but still wished that there was someone there, someone out there with the answer. All questions had answers it was a matter of finding them.

He exhaled as he placed the lirpa on it's stand and picked up his long robes, he was going to go to lunch soon to meet with a representative from Eureka, who oddly worked with Starfleet. Soval slipped the supple soft fabric over his body, it whispered as he did so and tied the robe closed. After a moment he slipped his feet into the soft and well worn slippers that were deemed appropriate for practice, which he never used. He left the room with his hands clasped before him, his mind set on the task before him, the Logic Diamond.

The last time he had seen a Logic Diamond was in Eureka. It was a piece of technology that he had marveled in. While the use of crystals to run programs was common on Vulcan, they had discovered how to write on them long before the Andorians even had contemplated the creation of the wheel, humans were the ones who had taken it farther. It took several standard sized crystal plates to run a large program, 7.89 to be precise in order to have life support systems on a Class H ship. Humans were able to write entire databases on diamonds that could be worn around a woman's neck and none would be the wiser. Each diamond had the ability to hold on average 95.68 terabites, an entire rack of even the fastest and most powerful servers. It wasn't a secret that such technology had enthralled the Vulcans and for the past decade they had been attempting to get humanity to share this delightful and space saving solution.

Soval slipped into his office, passing Suran's vacant desk as he went, only to notice a flicker on his personal screen. With grace the silver haired Vulcan sat in his chair and swept his fingers across the screen, he didn't recognize the contact information being presented. A moment slipped by and he was greeted by the sight of a young man staring back at him, dressed in a professional looking suit with blue green eyes, a Romanesque nose, chisled jaw, and dark curly hair. He was clean shaven and had raised a perfect Ta'al. "Live Long and Prosper Ambassador Soval," he greeted. The Vulcan ambassador's lips quirked up on their own accord as he nodded in reply. "Commander Stark," he greeted.

Commander Nathanial Stark was one of the more intelligent humans he had met. Unlike most scientists in Starfleet, this man was pushing the boundries and ironically could be the Director of any research laboratory on Earth and perhaps even a director of the Vulcan Science Academy – if they ever allowed off worlders a chance to do so. Creativity and ingenuity were synonomus with Stark's work, he was the reason the Enterprise was in the sky and the technology in his palms worked. Like Max, he didn't care for burocracy, all he cared about was science and innovation.

The Commander nodded as he continued, "I know this is a bit out of the blue, but I was recently contacted by Dr. Doniven that you have requested access to one of our Logic Diamond Readers," he said with a glint of mirth in his eyes. Soval had witness such a spark on many occasions while dealing with the chief designer of Enterprise, to the point he had no doubt that how Kate had come into possession of the diamond was entirely his doing. She had told him, but there was a part of him that questioned the integrity of her claim, clearly she had been honest.

Soval kept his tone unemotional as he replied, "Yes, I came across an unique diamond pendant, I was informed it was one of Global Dynamic's Logic Diamonds. I need to know what is on it." The statement was blunt and perhaps not his most tactful reply but he had no idea who else was listening. Stark chuckled and said with a wave of his hand, "Relax, this is a secure line, I emailed "Sparrow" and asked her to boost the security and take care of any and all pesky bugs that might be listening. I already did so on my end. You can scan it if you like," he jeered.

The Ambassador glared once again Kate had been asked to do something illegal, "Such actions are galactic crimes," he stated darkly, he had no interest in losing his security guard over such actions. Kate was one of his only allies. He wasn't going to cause her anymore pain, she had been through enough, "Come now Ambassador, we both know you would never convict her, she's your only ally with the ability to get into Starfleet," Stark responded.

Soval paused, Stark was just as intuitive as Max had been, Stark leaned closer to the screen. His expression became sincere and all evidence of teasing vanished from his face, his green eyes seemed to darken as he continued, "Soval, if you choose to read the diamond, please know that what you will see and learn, will disturb you," he cautioned, "You may be Vulcan, but even you have a code of ethics which you maintain." Vulcan's were no strangers to power, for centuries they were a warlike race, one that even the Klingons would fear. The issue at hand was not whether he desired to read the diamond to learn its contents, but to determine if Earth and his Vulcan were safe.

Max had died and he had a feeling that the reason he had died was linked to this very really issue. The bombing at the embassy was caused by V'Las, at least it was orchestrated by him, the High Council had determined that V'Las was working alone, or at least they had not found evidence that suggested otherwise. Soval stared at the young Commander, "It is far beyond the mere desire to know information, now it is about determining if it is still applicable to remain on Earth for myself as well as the other delegates, not to mention the security of the people of Earth," he stated.

Earth had been stable for nearly a century, the threat of it tearing its self in half was disturbing. His people weren't always peaceful and the time before the Great Awakening was still fresh in their consciousness. Such violence had nearly torn his people apart, he wasn't going to stand idly and watch as humanity ran down the same path they had. "Commander, the information is imperative to the security of both Earth and the Collation of Planets," he stated firmly.

Commander Stark drew a deep breath and in that moment he looked every bit the 32 year old Soval had known. Ambassador Soval had met Commander Nathanial Stark on a number of occasions, it wasn't until late her learned the man's age. "I can't allow you access to the reader in the exhibit, however, I have one I can give you," he began and looked at something over the screen, "I will not be able to meet you, they already susupect I know something," he stated. His green eyes darted between the screen and something above the camera.

"Fuck," hissed Stark, his blue green eyes were filled with urgency as he glanced down at the screen, "I should have had more time," he stated. Soval watched curiously as Stark grabbed a metal trash reciprocal and in a swift motion all the pages, notebooks, pads, data sticks, and memory wedges had fallen into the bin. A silver metal lighter was between his fingers, the flame dancing as it was unceremoniously tossed into the bin. The notes were aflame within seconds of contact, a plume of smoke and the faint orange glow of the fire was all that remained. "Commander, what are you doing?" chided the Ambassador, that research was probably for another advanced ship, the commander didn't respond.

There was a sound of keys and he watched as the Commander began swiftly typing, "Fuck, I didn't think they would catch on quite so fast," he stated. Now he was staring in utter bewilderment, he had no idea who the group that was perusing Stark was, it wouldn't be Star Fleet he was the designer of the USS Enterprise. "I can't meet you, I'm already in enough trouble and you may not see me again. Listen carefully Ambassador," he cautioned. Soval would usually jump in that he was always listening carefully, however, time was of the essence.

He nodded stiffly and watched as Stark continued typing, his eyes only looking to him for a moment. "I will send an associate with the reader, you know him, and while you may not trust him – I do," his tone was harsh and Soval had a feeling that the character Stark was going to work with wasn't ideal. "But the stars that marked our starting fall away. We must go deeper into greater pain, for it is not permitted we stay," he said smoothly. Quoting poetry at a time of urgency wasn't something that he considered conducive to escaping the situation.

Stark glanced up at the door, his pupils were dilated and he looked flushed – evidence of distress. "Ambassador, take Kate to the place where we first saw the painted sky and tell her to bring the spyglass," he said swiftly. Stark paused and smiled solemnly, just as the sound of the door of the Commander's office being ripped from its hinges filled the space. "Keep her safe, and stay alive," was all Stark said.

Soval was about to ask what happened when he noticed Stark turn around, "What can I do for you gentleman?" he asked mockingly, greeting his enemy with a grin. There was a crack and Soval watched as Stark whipped around in the chair, blood seeping from a gaping wound on his head, he looked slightly disoriented before smiling a little. "So that's how it will play," he stated. Soval was silent as he watched the screen fade to black.

"SURAN!" he called, not caring how loud he was, if they had found Stark then they were in danger. Suran appeared with in seconds and was standing before Soval at attention, "Contact Major Forrest," he stated, "Now."

Suran pulled out his PADD only to say quickly, "Communications are down, I can't access the system."

Soval shot up to his feet and was out the door without a fuss, Suran was hot on his heels. "We need to locate Majors Forrest and Cole, immediately," he stated. All he could do was worry about what kind of trouble both of them had managed to get into.

~~vOv~~

The hallways were a blur as she ran and she noticed a team of Vulcan's dressed in black following her, armed to the teeth, it was unexpected. "It appears Major Cole has decided to increase security as high as possible," stated Kruss as he took a turn down the hallway. The sounds of boots hitting the floor behind them were a clear indication that not only were they armed but the security teams were prepared for what ever was to come. Kate didn't reply, she couldn't her mind was working on how to save them. The staff leapt out of the way and watched in confusion as they ran, security teams tailing them. The servers were on the outside of the complex and typically guarded by its own detail, however, in this situation the detail wasn't ready for this.

Kate slid to a stop before the door as Kruss typed in a password, the doors slid open. On any other day she would gape openly, she had heard Vulcan's had the finest technology and had seen a few examples of it, however, she hadn't anticipated anything near this caliper. The room was bronze and tan like most of the consulate, however towering in the middle of the room was a wide column, it soared over them and cast and iridescent violet light. The walls were covered with data panels, and she found one of the lattice drawers open, several green plates were aligned inside it, as well as the iridescent blues she had been accustomed to seeing.

The Vulcans turned their attention to the doorway, "We have no control," spat one of them as he loomed over a consul, his fingers working quickly in an attempt to regain what little control of the situation remained. Kate's eyes swept over the room before landing on a council, she couldn't stop it. Who ever wrote the worm, knew that they would have a limited amount of time to execute it. This meant it was fast, violent and was designed to cause damage rather than simply steal. She stood before one of the terminals and quickly fished out a cable, while a wireless connection would be convenient, it wasn't fast enough. The PADD registered the connection and she grinned, "Okay, I'm in," she stated quickly. The walls of the fortress had already been breached, she just had to know what to look for.

Kruss was staring at her, and suddenly looking over her shoulder, his warm form practically burned her shoulder. "How?" he asked curiously as Kate continued sweeping her fingers across the screen. She didn't look at him as she continued to craft the basic protocols she needed, "Easy, someone already breached the walls, you can't get back in because you are part of the system. I however, am not," she explained as she continued constructing the decoy, it was impossible to slow the worm, but she could trick it. There wasn't a single voice refuting her logic, of course they wouldn't, and she wasn't supposed to be versed in computers, especially theirs.

Her blue eyes were locked on the screen to the point she didn't realize she had an audience until she reached for a stylus only to find a pale hand holding it out to her. "I'm Tuvok, the head of this department," he stated. Kate collected the stylus and smiled a little, "I'm Kate," she replied.

Kruss was leaning over her shoulder still as she twirled the stylus between her fingers, "What now?" he asked. Kate was typing rapidly, the sound filled the room and Kruss watched with intrigue. "The memory lattice, hook it to Drive L," she stated. Kruss stared at her, "There is no such Drive," he stated.

She smirked and replied, "I know, I'm making it."

The Head of Security held the drive out to Tuvok who without question opened the massive pillar and slipped the lattice into a vacant slot. Instantaneously it registered, the compartment glowed red as she engaged it. She had expected more questions, only they never arrived. "The Lattice is online," called a voice, she nodded. "Now what?" asked Kruss as Kate began closing off parts of the server, she was wrapped in the world of her fingers, "Give me full access," she stated as she moved over. There was a pause Kruss stared at her, as though she had insulted him, his expression was hard and cold. He was about to object when she noticed familiar pale fingers reach over her shoulder and type in the command, "Yes, just instruct us as to the next coarse of action," he stated. Kate smirked as she looked up at Tuvok.

Kruss looked as though he were about to pop a vein, "What?" he snapped. Tuvok's lips quirked up, "She got in, she knows what she is doing," he stated before adding, "Besides, she has a plan, you do not." Kruss was about to say more when a cool voice rippled through the room, standing in the doorway was none other than Ambassador Soval himself, dressed in a loose robe. "I advice you not to complete that statement Kruss," he warned. Kruss looked as though he had swallowed a fully feathered bird. Sky blue eyes sparked with a hint of pride as the Ambassador glided across the floor with grace.

Soval stopped beside her and looked down at her with dark eyes, his eyebrow lifted as he asked, "What next Major?" The entire room snapped to reality, he was asking her for her next move. She smiled a little and said, "Watch me work," as her fingers moved across the keys. The silver haired Ambassador nodded as he looked at a monitor above her. Never before had the Ambassador simply obeyed her, typically it was a stand off between them. Yet, now he was complying, perhaps he did trust her – even if it was slight.

She turned her attention to the task at hand, the panels before her contained lines of flowing text. In reality she hadn't done something this complex since she was at Berkley, however it was a great deal like riding a bike, once she got on she realized she never did quite forget. "Fascinating, a fake section of the database," called Tuvok, and before long she heard rapid commands falling from the Vulcan's lips. In seconds there was a symphony of keys, not only was she contributing but the staff was as well. No one was speaking, they all seemed to fall into pace behind her. She was leading a group of Vulcans she had never met and yet they trusted her. "Pull the main server off line, we are going to lure it into Drive L," she commanded. There was a murmur of discord and Soval commanded, "Do it."

The massive column flickered off row by row, random drive alignments were being called off as they were being disconnected. Kate opened another file on her PADD and grinned maliciously, "What are you doing? You stated you were intending to track the program back to it's sender," he asked. Kate smiled darkly, "I have a little souvenir for it to take with it, I don't like it when people break into our house, I'm not about to let them get away with it," she stated as she connected the file. Soval was stiff and she looked up to see his expression filled with a combination of curiosity and something forging, concern. It was daring but the design on the new PADD would allow for the worm to take back only the one file, it was large enough to appear to be classified information, but not so large that it would be suspicious. "This is a risk," he stated bluntly. Kate nodded as the drives were pulled and finally Tuvok called "Pillar deactivated, save Drive L."

She nodded as she opened the drive, she had managed to create a false drive and grinned maliciously, it wasn't an easy task but she was certain it would work. It had to. "What does this souvenir do?" asked Soval after a moment. She could tell he desired to know just what she had in mind. Kate smirked as she watched the worm run back to its sender, "Just wait," she stated, "Tuvok, I need the servers online!" The Vulcan complied and with a flicker the pillar in the middle of the room was slowly starting back up, row by row the servers engaged. "I need the processing power, halt other protocols except security," she stated. The sound of the drives flickering to life hummed as she began rerouting protocols, and tracing the program.

"You can't do that," hissed Kruss, "it's against protocol." Kate ignored his statement and continued to work, "You could destroy delicate systems," he stated darkly, his irritation was nearly palpable. She was well aware of the risk, what was the use of playing the game if she didn't take a risk, for only with greater risks came larger rewards. Soval held his hand up to silence Kruss as he looked over Kate's shoulder, "What are you doing?" he asked urgently, as though her explanation would put it to rest. She drew a deep breath, "I embedded a code in the worm, and it picked up the file which had all the earmarks as an important document after setting up a decoy top-secret drive. From there I loaded a virus into a file which the worm has now taken to deliver to its master," she explained.

The virus was particularly nasty, it wasn't easy to remove and allowed for her to force the user into a corner. It would engage all locating devises and force the machine to remain engaged, regardless of the owner's commands. All the while the machine would be screaming for the universe to hear, as she ransacked it for any and all files. The owner would sit helplessly and watch as she took them over and condemned them to prison. Kate watched as the worm returned, "Tracing path," she stated. It bounced around the globe, from one terminal to another, it was erratic and fast, who ever was on the other end knew how to evade being found. "Oh no you don't," she stated as she shouted to Tuvok, "Commander the Ambassadors ship as well as several others, I need to stay ahead of this thing." Tuvok was staring at the panels before him, "I am unable to do so," he stated, "Only Osu is able to."

Kate looked up to Soval who was already taking a seat at one of the terminals, "I can give you all the Vulcan bases as well as routes," he stated. She was silent as she watched the Ambassador type in his access key and stared in shock as he began working on several systems, while he was the Ambassador she didn't expect him to have knowledge of such systems. His fingers flew across the keys faster than her own, they were deft and light, making her wonder what he played to achieve such speech and accuracy, and usually it was only musicians with such dexterity. Kate grinned, now all she had to do was finish the trace, as the worm bounded off a station in Geneva it was cut short, "What?" she asked frantically as she attempted to find it.

"No, no, no," she chanted as she attempted to find traces of the worm, it was leaving Geneva and then vanished. It was no where to be scene, which meant someone had cut contact with the worm. It had to go somewhere, that kind of program didn't just disappear and the tracing virus she had created was something all her own, impossible to detect unless you were looking for it.

Tuvok sounded grave as he answered, "Systems have lost it, no contact." Kate growled with irritation as she pulled at her wet hair, "Fuck," she hissed, she had lost him. He had slipped through her fingers. "Someone, tell me we have something," she growled. Kruss looked smug as he clasped his hands behind his back, his dark eyes dancing. Kate drew a deep breath as she leaned against the consul, she failed. Irritation ran through her, she was the best in her year and one of the best programmers there was no way they would be able to get the worm without the virus.

There was a murmur before Suran stated, "All members of this department are to report to the terminals in the consulate, make sure the systems are in tact." Each member left the room except for Tuvok.

Tuvok stood before them, he then glanced to Kate, "Major Forrest, you did all you could, not all the variables are foreseeable, even for a Vulcan," he stated. Kate blinked, it was rare for a Vulcan to admit that they didn't see all of the possible outcomes. They were known for seeing all the aspects of the problem, "I just thought I had him," she replied as she hung her head, her hands resting in her lap as he fingers ran over her palms, messaging the tight tendons. She had expected a searing comment from Kruss, only to never hear it.

Just as well, he was probably grinning - or at least as much as a Vulcan was able to. There was a shuffle and Kate had a feeling she was being left behind. "Major Forrest," said the last voice she expected to hear, it didn't hold its usual edge and she found herself slipping a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Katharine," it said once more, calling her attention to him. Kate looked up to see Soval looking down at her, his expression was softer than she anticipated, "I failed," she said brokenly.

The Ambassador slowly leaned toward her, he was sitting next to her and said, "You have not, and I would explore this with you, however there is an even more pressing matter at hand," he began. Kate sat up straighter and pushed the previous events to the back of her mind. "We must leave the Consulate," he stated sternly.

"Where and why?" she asked, her tone was harsh. She needed to reflect on the previous events and leaving the Consulate was less than idea, out there in the world there were people planning another attack, one she couldn't afford the Ambassador to become a victim of. "The logic diamond reader, I can't get access to it at Berkley, however there is another way," he stated, "Commander Stark contacted me. He has sent someone with the reader to the place where you first saw the painted sky." Kate paused as she began searching her mind until she stumbled across the memory, "The painted sky…" she paused, "The Aurora Borealis."

She was standing before him and the Ambassador asked, "Aurora Borealis?" Kate nodded as she began disconnecting her PADD. "The Northern Lights, the Yukon," she realized. The painted sky, it was then she realized that Nathanial had traveled with her and her father. Soval looked uncomfortable and asked, "Is it truly logical to travel to such a location?" he asked. Kate had her black PADD in hand and was walking out of the room when she realized what he had stated, "Wait," she instructed as she turned it on and ran a quick search.

"There's an shuttle leaving San Francisco in four hours," she said after a moment, "I have booked us first class tickets." She quickly finished the request using the black PADD, she hadn't touched the silver one since and wasn't interested in being tracked. "Stark had a cabin in the Yukon, when I was a child he and my dad went there one year around New Years, on New Year's Eve we went out into the woods and sat by a frozen lake, when we looked up we saw the Aurora," she stated as she looked over the information, "We can stay in Stark's Cabin, I know the location."

Soval nodded, "We can not stay too long, it would be suspicious," he stated.

She fell silent and watched as Suran appeared next to Soval, how he managed to move so soundlessly evaded her. Suran held his hands before him, slowly tucking them into the sleeves of his long robe. "Osu, if I may," he said smoothly, his eyes danced and she realized he had a plan. "You have yet to visit the Polar Regions and have decided to see the arctic caps to see the aurora and meet native people," he supplied. It wasn't a lie, but there were many possible locations with it, for all they knew he would be in Finland. Kate grinned, it was perfect, it wasn't a lie but was so vague that even if someone were attempting to kill them it would take them ages to find them.

His gray eyes looked over to Kate and he asked, "Are you alright?" it wasn't usual for a Vulcan to ascertain that sort of information, however the time she had spent with Suran had taught her that he was far more concerned for her health than most. "I'm good," she replied as she looked at him, "You okay?" Suran nodded stiffly, "I am functioning at full capacity."

Kate smiled, she had a feeling that was the closest she would ever get to, 'I'm okay, today just sucks," well he was Vulcan, it wasn't like she would get him to use slang that fast. Just then he turned his attention to the space behind her. Kate looked over her shoulder when she heard the pat of combat boots. She stared in confusion at Amanda, she knew the woman was wearing sandals before, and now she had a black jacket on with leather gloves and a pair of black Star Fleet issued combat boots.

She tipped her head to the side as Amanda stopped before her sliding her shooting glasses up. She slipped the phaser into a black holster around her hip. "What? A girl's gotta accessorize," she said defensively as she put her hands on her hips. Kate laughed hysterically as she noted the long knife on her hip as well. Kate looked over to see Suran's ears turning a little green, his gaze fell to an item on the wall and she snorted. Amanda swept her fingers through her hair, causing her shirt to shift and the stunning lacy black bra, which Kate recognized as a gag gift she had gotten Amanda years ago, peaking out from behind the shirt. Suran's pupils dilated to the point that there was only a slight ring of gray in his eyes.

"Have fun?" asked Kate as she placed her hands on her hips. Amanda shrugged as she looked at Kate, a goofy grin sweeping across her lips, "Well I can say one thing, things are never dull with you around, so what's up?" she asked as she looked at the Ambassador and his aid. Kate sighed and gestured for Amanda to fall in step with the Ambassador and Suran, "I have to handle this briefing, I saw the footage from the bombing on my way to the servers," he explained, "I also have to report to the Vulcan Government."

Amanda fell in step beside Kate, "Why do I have a feeling things just got a lot more complicated?" she asked.

Complications were a natural part of guarding the Ambassador however this seemed to be getting worse. "I didn't get to deliver the virus with the beacon, the connection was lost. Someone must have shattered it," Kate explained. Amanda stared in confusion and held her palms up, "Hang on, someone managed to evade you? Fuck, this dude's still breathing? I thought you would have slit his throat," she stated. Violence, she wasn't into it, but she didn't like being defeated, in fact it irritated her to no end. "I wouldn't go that far," she stated.

She heard a huff, of course Amanda didn't believe her, she had seen the stint of hacking she had done for the fun of it. "There's more," Kate began and looked to Soval. The Ambassador and his aid rounded the corner and Soval stated, "There is a high probability that Commander Stark is dead. He has sent the device we need with someone he trusts; we are to collect it tonight in the Yukon." The Ambassador's robes whispered and in the distance Kate could hear the circus he was about to step into.

The massive and imposing dark wooden doors which separated them from the press stood before them. Amanda looked at them and asked, "I take it that you need bags packed while the conference is going on?" she stated professionally, Kate noticed how Amanda was already preparing a packing list. Suran looked to Amanda and then to Soval, the Vulcan paused and said with conviction, "Yes." Kate blinked owlishly as Amanda stood before Soval, "Okay, so I need to pack you arctic gear, survival systems, and the typical cold weather emergency kits as well as a special kit for the Ambassador. Hand held model 2 phaser or do you want the model 4, it's got more of a kick?" Amanda babbled. The Ambassador looked slightly confused, it was honestly just another day as a MACO for Kate.

"The model 2, make that two phasers, I want a back up. Also throw in a few stun granades," Kate instructed. Amanda nodded as she looked at Kate, "I'll pick up the goggles too, I can't do much with official tech, you're not supposed to leave San Fran," Amanda added. Kate sighed, of course this was going to be difficult, "Well guess what, that was shot to hell when this fiasco happened. Keep the privet link we used in the Sahara open, I need you to keep an eye out around here," Kate stated as she began going through her pockets pulling out her communicator and tuning it. Amanda did the same and looked at her wrist. "When's your ride?" she asked.

Kate was looking at the thick black band around her wrist and replied, "2000." Amanda nodded as the pair set their alarms.

Soval looked between the pair and was about to give Suran a command when Suran interjected, "Osu, perhaps I should handle the packing for you as well." Kate noticed how he merely nodded. He then turned his attention to the doors, Suran and Kate were walking toward the privet residence, knowing her bag would contain all the essentials. She noticed how relaxed Amanda looked beside Suran, her shoulders were slightly relaxed, her hands were in her pockets and she had a slight sway in her hips, nothing like the typical walk of a Major. Then again, Amanda was anything but typical.

The doors were quiet as Soval pushed them open, in moments flashes nearly blinded her, and how he tolerated the assault of light baffled her. He didn't even flinch at the noise as he took his post at the podium. His hands were behind it and he stood with an air of poise. His dark eyes scanned the room as his silver hair picked up the lights, showing hues of steel blue and dark gray. His dark skin glowed against the back wall and he held himself with every once of authority he had. Kate took her post off to the side and the Ambassador held his hand up to silence the press.

Now the game had begun, how he responded to the actions of Terra Prime was going to be delicate, the wrong word and everything could tumble to ruin and all hopes for the Federation could vanish in smoke.

"The past three hours and thirty-five minutes have been the most traumatic and devastating events in my service as the Ambassador from Vulcan. We grieve with all the victims' families and friends. For this event was not foreseen by anyone, and for this we sincerely extend an apology," he began.

Kate's head snapped up as the room fell into utter shock and silence, Vulcan's didn't apologize - it was illogical, and yet Soval, the Ambassador of Vulcan, the one who had shown no compassion had just apologized. Every reporter leaned closer as though they had misheard him. She herself realized her eyes now fell on the familiar profile of the silver haired Vulcan.

"It was never our intention to cause harm, even indirectly. Our presence has placed stress upon the people of Earth. It has been our goal to sever as a guide to Earth as they travel into space, to prevent them from learning many harsh lessons the way we had. Through this we had hoped to forge a bond stronger than any other with the people of Earth. Yet, inadvertently we have caused stress. A stress which if unaddressed may cause the society to splinter and fray at the very seams, however,"

He paused for a moment, the next word was the key, "this is not an end. This is the beginning, such things may be mended. Humanity is a fascinating species, It has taught us a great deal. In no way do we intend to leave Earth. This planet and Vulcan have had a long relationship, where both sides have struggled to come to a mutual understanding. The path to the stars has never been rapid, time is required, there is no way to expedite the process, it must evolve naturally at it's own pace.

"Terra Prime has proven that it is violent, however strength does not come from violence, which is never the answer. Violence only allows for more violence, it is peace and diplomacy which will allow us to unite, not only the planet but the Galaxies as well," he stated, his voice was broad and firm.

Kate noticed the expression on reporter's faces, never before had she heard such passion come from the Ambassador. While he may have sounded cold, she had been around him long enough to know what his passion sounded like. "Earth has come a very long way since first contact, Star Fleet and the Enterprise are proof of this and evidence of an even greater future for the human race amongst the stars. Vulcan will not withdraw from the Collation nor will it leave Earth," he stated his stubbornness winning over his logic, at least that was what Kate thought.

"Now is not the time to question our presence, it is better to question what you desire the future to be," he stated. Kate's eyes fell on the reporters who were now gaping opening, several who had opted to use classic paper abandoned it and were holding out PADDs and recorders, cameras had paneled closer and she noticed that even the representative of Starfleet was watching intently.

"Vulcan sees a future among the stars for humanity, one where humans and Vulcans are able to work side by side along with many other humanoids around the galaxies," he stated, the air around him seemed to become even more powerful, "It is time for you as a people to determine what it is you desire." Soval held up his hand, palm facing the audience as he split his fingers into the _Ta'al_. There was confusion in the room as he swept away from the podium to stand before them, "I have and will always, come to serve," he stated. He lowered his hand and slipped it into his robes.

Kate's eyes widened as the usually tame circus exploded into shouts and hands waving in the air. He had openly challenged those opposing the presence of Vulcan on Earth and their assisting of the NX program. Not only did he stated his purpose, but the fact that Vulcan sought a powerful alliance with the human race, on top of seeing a shared future in which they both prospered. She had a feeling people across the universe were currently asking dozens of questions and the press was scrambling, including that of Vulcan. His statement at the end sealed the deal, as his sincere words rang in the room.

"Ambassador!" shouted many reporters at the same time. They were waving their arms as though they were waving down ships. Soval looked over the crowd and called, "Mr. Grayson." Kate watched keenly as the Ambassador answered each question with ease. Never once faltering from his position, he truly was good at what he did. He had not only called for their attention but done so that was conducive to gaining support on Earth. A smile curled her lips as she whispered, "Well done Ambassador," knowing full well he had heard her.

She watched as he worked the room, he reminded her of a fox and a lion. It was strange; he was sly and clever like the fox, but brave and loyal like a lion.

~~vOv~~

It had been several days since the journal had lefts it's box, and Archer was itching to continue reading, he took a seat in the observation deck. Porthos was laying on a chair and he held a cup of coffee in his hand. He had taken the liberty to read more about Katharine Monroe, she was a professional photographer and one of the best on Earth. He had seen a few early pictures of her with Admiral Forrest, long before he was an Admiral. It startled him to see the man glow in such a way, he had glowed while around his wife but this was entirely different, it was as though she had given him wings. He slipped into one of the chairs and opened the journal, he had read about a third of the way into it. The way Max wrote was easy, it ebbed and flowed with his emotions and Archer found it enjoyable to see the world through the eyes of Maxwell Forrest, and not the Admiral.

His fingers ran over the soft pages as he picked up the next entry.

"_3 October 2117_

_We went to the zoo today, the Bronx Zoo, she loved it. I finally know how to use her camera so I spent a bulk of my time taking photos of her with it. She was teasing me about being a Lieutenant, soon Commander, she keeps insisting that I travel on a starship and see strange new worlds, complete with fascinating wildlife. She keeps comparing me to a lion, honestly she had me confused for a long time about it. I asked her so many times today as to why. So in good humor I bought her a large stuffed animal lion, which she cuddled with. It wasn't until she was cuddling with it, partially hiding in it's full mien when she told me why._

"_You're too proud to be anything else. You're brave, strong, and intelligent. Why not be king of the jungle? Besides, you have the heart of a lion, what else would you be?"_

_I took a photo of her with the stuffed animal,"_

Archer looked at the image that had been tucked into the page, staring back at him was a gorgeous woman. Her brilliant blue eyes glimmered as she peeked through the strands of golden hair. Her long brown hair settled around her like a halo of rich brown, curling gracefully. She had doe like eyes, a small nose and rounded features, she looked soft and gentle. Her small hands are wrapped around it, and the stuffed toy is almost the same size as she is. Max never did anything halfway for the Fleet, and clearly not for the woman he loved. A smile curled Archer's lips as he returned to the entry.

"_She wants to go to the aquarium in San Francisco next, I've been visiting her every weekend, she stated she wants to meet with me. I'm excited of course, I get to see her as soon as she gets out instead of getting in my flitter and flying here. Not that that's a bad thing, just, well I want to see her sooner. God I sound lovesick… who am I kidding I'm totally in love with her._

_I haven't told her yet that she gets to see me in my uniform too, I'm excited about that, I mean she has yet to see it and I can't wait to see her face._

_I was informed that I will be working with several engineers on designing engines, in association with the NX program. I'm excited, not only do I get to work with legends like Cochran and Archer but Stark too, all the generations of them. Its funny how the name Stark and Space are so associated with one another. I'm already a Lieutenant and I'll be made a commander during graduation, it's wired but works. Kate already plans on being there for it, I haven't told her that I'm getting promoted._

_There's been something strange going on though, something disturbing. Ever walk in the shadows and feel as though someone is watching you? I know that's called paranoia but I saw a man the other day following me, what makes it odd is for the past week he has been following me, I spot him in random places and always catch a glimpse of him when I go home. Proof, well for starters he was in San Fran when I left and while Kate and I were looking at the snakes he was standing next to a boa constrictor, looking directly at me. _

_I haven't told Kate, but I'm concerned this man is up to something. I intend to corner her tomorrow and find out why, but something tells me what ever he wants it's not good. People don't stalk Starfleet officers for good reasons,"_

Hands gripped the journal tighter as he felt the blood leave his face, Max was followed while he was 27 years old, while it seemed trivial and perhaps he simply had a stalker with the recent turn in events it couldn't have been a coincidence. Archer stared at the penmanship before him.

"_I would report it to Star Fleet but I have a feeling it won't do me any good, things have been tense with the protests of us training to fly into space, as if we hadn't been planning on it. It's the final frontier after all._

_I'll have to put in a new security system when Kate stays here, I don't want her hurt over something that has to do with me._

_Anyway, I need to see a jeweler tomorrow; I'm going to ask Kate to marry me. I know HUGE STEP but I don't think there is another woman for me out there. I love Kate and would do anything for her. "_

Archer turned the page, Max had proposed to another woman, other than Angela. He had heard Angela grumbled about a hand-me-down ring, but always thought it was because it was of it belonging to Max's mother. Max wasn't the kind to recycle a ring, at least he didn't seem to be, and something had to have happened for such a thing to occur. With the way he had loved Kate, it didn't even seem applicable. He had a sinking feeling that something terrible had happened to Kate, otherwise he would have never married Angela, he still didn't know how Angela fit into this.

"_9 October 2117_

_Kate picked me up at the Academy, you should have seen the expressions on my classmate's faces when this beautiful brunette with long legs, curves in all the right places and full lips with those fathomless blue eyes walked over, they were so green with envy I wondered if a few of them were part Vulcan. She took pictures of my in my uniform, I of course obliged, only I haven't expected the shoot to turn into a stripping session… well now she has images of a disheveled officer too. Not that I'm complaining, she was the one with the hot as hell in high heels garter, fuck, I didn't even know they still made those. _

_She was wonderful and we decided to go to a Japanese Garden that afternoon, the one that overlooks the bay. It was wonderful to have her with me. She got cold along the way so I gave her the jacket to my uniform, she looked gorgeous in it, better than I do. I wonder if it's like that with all my clothing, probably is. We are going to the aquarium tomorrow, I'll ask her then, in front of the orca – it's her favorite._

_I spotted the guy several times this week, and today as well, it's a good thing I put in that new security system. It wasn't easy, but I managed it, now I just have to make sure Kate remembers the protocols. Then again, there probably won't be a period where she goes outside without me. _

_Kate mentioned asking her friend Angie to join us, I hope not. It's not that I don't want to meet Kate's friends but honestly, I would rather ask her privetly for her hand in marriage, I could always ask her in the massive gardens at the academy near the Vulcan Lilies, she would probably like that."_

Archer continued reading and paused, Angie, which was short for Angela. Angela was Kate's friend, now he understood how she came into the picture much to his disdain. It wasn't that he was against women having friends it was that he had a sinking feeling all Angela would try to do was steal Max from Kate.

"_10 October 2117_

_I met Angie, her name is Angela, she's cute, but not my type. She's far too grabby and keeps insisting that I do things with her, rather than Kate. I have no interest in her, while Kate was away at the restroom she pressed me against a wall and started feeling me up, seriously! There were kids around, you don't do that shit! I managed to get her off of me, but felt like I had been violated. I haven't told Kate, she's too happy. Apparently she hasn't seen Angela in years, and had wanted to visit. I know I'm not just a vehicle for that, but I do feel jealous. _

_I didn't ask her, she was too distracted. I asked her to join me at the Vulcan Consulate tonight. I spoke with Ambassador Soval, I had met him a few times while attempting to get the NX project off the ground and in high gear, he has given us permission to view the gardens. The Ambassador has been invaluable to us these past couple weeks, with his encouragement the Admirals are allowing me to proceed as planned. Archer is ecstatic as is Stark, I'm nervous about being the head of the project, however, the Ambassador insisted I was the one. _

_I'm concerned it's because he feels he is able to manipulate me. I won't allow it._

_The Ambassador isn't like most of the Vulcan's, he appears aloof but isn't. I'm rather curious about him, and why he would allow me to propose to Kate in the garden. When I asked he stated that it was his way of showing an open mind to humanity. I mean it would bring them a great deal of press, but press aside, he really didn't have to. _

_I've been running my fingers over the box all day, the Ambassador suggested dinner in the garden, which he will have set for two. I didn't peg him as the romantic, then again, I barely know him. Work wise, he's attentive, through and has a great sense of who he is in comparison to everyone else. He works tirelessly with us and the VSA, I'm glad he's the Ambassador, I just wish I could get that solemn look to leave his eyes, it doesn't belong in a man who is as strong and proud as him."_

Soval knew Katharine, now that was a twist, he was well aware that Max's daughter had been assigned to the Ambassador as protection, but for him to have known the woman personally was a shock. The Ambassador was imposing, difficult and stern and yet the way Max wrote him it sounded as though he admired the Vulcan. Once or twice he had seen a solemn look on Soval's face, but never commented, he thought it was something all Vulcan's possessed.

"_I have to go I'll return with the news later. _

_I'm back and she said yes. I'm over the moon, honestly. Katharine Monroe has just said yes to me! I caught Soval watching us as we left he looked pleased, if you can call it that. Obviously he approves of her. She called Angela, who didn't seem as happy but I don't care. I have Kate and I'm not letting her go."_

Archer turned the page only to stare at the journal. He couldn't believe what was on paper before him.

"_15 October 2117_

_I was abducted by the man who has been following me for the past three months, on Monday, after Kate had left. Officially the incident never occurred, Starfleet has no record of it, and neither does the Vulcan High Command._

_Unofficially… it will cause a great deal of friction in the future. _

_At 11 am, Monday morning I was walking down the street on my way to the Vulcan Consulate to meet with Ambassador Soval, when I heard a woman screaming in the alley for help. I didn't analyze the situation, I simply ran into the alley to see a woman curled up and covered in blood. I immediately went to aid her when I found myself with the business end of a phaser in my face. She was grinning viciously and the next thing I felt was pain as my head hit the pavement, she was yelling at someone before I blacked out. Apparently giving me a concision wasn't part of the plan. _

_I woke four hours later, naked with my arms chained above my head, suspending from a ceiling from what looked like 18__th__ century meat hooks. I didn't even think those were still around. I was blinded by a light and questioned. At first the questions were my name and rank, finally it came to details of the NX project, Starfleet security and ultimately the Consulate security. All of these questions I didn't answer. _

_As a result they beat the crap out of me, apparently if I wouldn't volunteer the answer they believed beating it out of me would work. Obviously they didn't know a thing about torture, or they would have known that people will say just about anything to get away. It started with lashings and escalated._

"_Who is running the NX Program?"_

_I was silent and recived several lashings, the sound of the whip still rings in my ears._

"_Where are the Labs?"_

_Another five lashings for my silence._

"_How do we get in?"_

_Seven Lashings and a knife at my arm, my back was in searing pain I felt like someone had taken a butter knife and was attempting to skin me._

"_What's the key code for the Armory?"_

_Two more long deep cuts, now I was light headed and their voices seemed to dim a little._

"_The Vulcan Consulate has how many levels of security?"_

_As if I would betray the Ambassador and again I was silent, eight lashings, who ever it was didn't have a conscious and had phenomenal stamina._

"_When will the Ambassador be out of the consulate?"_

_Several more lashings, I lost count I was in too much pain._

"_Tell us how to get to the Ambassador!" _

_I barely remember what was used, all I remember is the white hot pain that enveloped me when I was branded and the smell of burning skin. _

"_Who are you?"_

_I had to ask, I couldn't accept people beating the shit out of me without knowing who they were, it was too cold. Besides I would be dead at that rate anyway._

"_Terra" something, I didn't get it all. _

_The doors were blown off and an infiltration thing swept in. I had hung my head in both shame and relief, I was supposed to be a Commander and yet I got mixed up in this mess. I was relieved none the less, I could see Kate again. _

_I thought it was Starfleet until I saw the gray robes of a Vulcan in the mix. A pair of gentle hands lifted my chin and I found myself looking into the eyes of Ambassador Soval. His dark eyes seemed to slice through me as he asked, "Are you alright Lieutenant?" He knew I wasn't, and I closed my eyes waiting for a scathing remark, only to feel myself being lowered to the floor. I had expected it to come up a greet me, but it never did. Instead I was held against the Ambassador's frame. "Forrest, what have you gotten yourself into?" he admonished as though I was a child. In his defense though, I am, let's be honest he's over 100 years old and I'm 27. _

_I blacked out in his arms, it was odd to feel safe in them. He never desired to hurt me. I woke up in the Consulate inside their trauma center, apparently I was unstable for a bit. He had gotten Starfleet to look into the case and I was questioned relentlessly."_

Archer stared, Soval had saved Max, that would explain a great deal, but why the Vulcan had gone through the trouble was odd. Vulcan's didn't do such things, as far as Soval would have been concerned Max was replicable.

"_In the end, much to my displeasure, I was asked to be silent and was handed Captaincy on a platter. I had managed to skip Commander and go to Captain in that leap; I didn't even do anything to deserve it! I rejected it several times, only to find myself forced into it. It was their way of insuring I was quiet. Starfleet didn't want such information available. Sadly, neither did the Vulcans and Soval had been instructed to do what ever was necessary to ensure the completion of the NX project. _

_I have a feeling the Admirals and High Command struck a deal. Soval probably wasn't included because he looked irate."_

Max had been asked to remain silent, which meant that he had not only witnessed something he shouldn't have, but Starfleet knew of Terra Prime for years and did nothing. The footage from that day was fresh in his mind, Max had been corner and told to never reveal what had occurred so that several families could be torn apart. The image of the Vulcan child being ripped from his parents was in his mind, it chilled him to the bone.

"It could have been prevented," he seethed.

"Captain?" asked a soft voice from behind him. Archer turned around to see T'Pol standing there. She was wrapped in a meditation robe and stared at him. Archer closed the journal and hissed, "It could have been prevented, the bombing." T'Pol slowly approached him, as though she were approaching a wounded sehlat. The Captain watched her slowly, she noticed his pain and he had a feeling that she was also in pain. Witnessing an explosion was agonizing, "Captain, he had tried, I know he would have. Admiral Forrest wasn't the type to sit idle," she stated. Archer nodded and whispered, "I just wish he told me before."

T'Pol stood before him, she didn't weaver, her dark eyes cutting through him. Archer wondered if all Vulcan's had such a look. "He did," she stated. Archer looked at the journal and flipped it over in his hands, his finger tips moving over it's cover. "He had the heart of a lion," said Archer thoughtlessly, channeling the words which Kate had said about Max.

"Then he must have also had the heart of a Sehlat," she replied. Archer looked confused until she continued, "While a Sehlat is vicious if not cared for properly, it is also loyal and devoted to it's master until death. It will protect a master's young, as well as his house." Archer nodded, Max did have the heart of a Sehlat, and part of him hoped he did too so he could face these demons which had been conjured from the darkest regions of hell he had ever seen.


	10. Blue Amber Dreams

**Chapter Nine: Blue Amber Dreams**

Night, in some placed of the world it is brief and in others it is nearly endless. The closer an individual travels toward the poles the further away the sun seems to be as the world of the dark creeps in. It is natural for a child to fear such places, especially the arctic, where the night takes over and so little light reaches it, that it remains frozen. The terrain it's self is rough with mountains and drifts of snow, evergreens have managed to survive in a few places which receive just enough light, but those are few and far between. The arctic is the worlds coldest and most barren dessert, it is dangerous beyond compare with deadly wildlife, below freezing temperatures and the maddening darkness, which envelopes all who visit.

Amanda looked over the bags, it wasn't wise to pack too much, so she opted for the lightest possible load, that would still ensure their survival until they arrived at the cabin. Once at the cabin they would be safe, it was the journey to it that proved to be the most dangerous aspect. She pulled out the sleek white coat, it was the latest in winter wear, the material was acquired from the Andorians, who felt right at home at the poles, well it was still a little warm for them but they didn't complain. They loved Russia, Canada, Finland, and the Antarctic, at least that was the rumor that circulated with Commander Shran cuddling with an Emperor Penguin.

There was a shuffle behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see the familiar gray eyes of Suran, his salt and peper hair was perfectly combed in place and he stood stiffly. "Major Cole, I have packed the Ambassador's bags, I will have him put on the arctic gear before departing," he stated, his voice was flat and lacked any and all emotions. Amanda nodded as she reached off to the side and picked up a slick black case, "Okay, I'll tell Kate," she stated as she opened the case.

Suran looked at her curiously, she could practically feel the questions buzzing in his mind. She chuckled lightly as she reached into the case and pulled out a brass cylinder, she held it out to him and said, "Here." Suran held out his palm and collected the brass cylinder, cradling it in his hand as he did so. He turned it around in his hands she watched his fingers sweep over the leather grip before gently tugging the eyepiece forward, extending it fully. "What is it?" he asked curiously as Kate smiled, he was like a child observing the world, then again, he probably had never seen one before it wasn't common on Earth these days.

She reached into Kate's bag and pulled out another object, something Kate also loved bringing with her. "That is a spyglass, it's an old Terran device used to look great distances. It was commonly found on navel vessels, and predates the telescope, actually it is the telescope's ancestor, and this," she stated as she opened another black case, nestled inside was an astrolabe, there really was no point in possessing one, but the Admiral had given them to Kate when she was a child. Suran looked at the box in her hands, nestled inside was a large brass disk with several rings, there was a bar across which could be adjusted. The outer ring consisted of longitude markings, the bar down the middle consisted of degree of the angle and the latitude lines traveled across the piece, "an Astrolabe, I'm sure Vulcan's had something similar. It was used for navigation as well as determining time, and could be used to determine location in reference to it," she stated.

She closed the case and slipped it into the bag, "Why are they taking both items? They are very rare," he stated. Amanda nodded, she was well aware that most of the time items like those were in museums and privet collections, using an Astrolabe wasn't normal and many considered it outdates. "Simple, there are some places in the poles which are not covered by satellite, there are magnetic disturbances and the cabin is nestled in a valley. Of course they will have digital maps, but just in case I have her packed with the necessary tools," she replied as she picked up the other black case once again.

Suran picked up the spyglass and looked through it experimentally only to lower it and then gaze through it once more, "Aren't most spyglasses made of glass?" he asked. Amanda smiled, he had just asked the one question that nearly everyone did when they looked through the spyglass the first time. "Yes, but that is a very special spyglass," she stated as she held her hand out for it. Suran returned it to her his eyebrows were lifted and he looked even more confused, "This one has a Blue Amber lens," she explained, "When you look through it you'll notice light appears differently as do other items."

The Vulcan handed the spyglass back to her, "It is fascinating, it is able to pick up phosphorescent molecules. I was not aware that there was such a stone," he commented. Amanda quickly collapsed it and placed the guard on the lens, "Blue amber is extremely rare, and can not be replicated in a lab, the piece in the spyglass is well over eight hundred years old," she explained. Tentatively she placed the spyglass in the case that was surrounded by shock absorbent material, "It had unique properties, the piece of blue amber used in this spyglass is the largest to date and also cut the thinnest. Making the spyglass priceless," she stated as she closed the case and slipped it into Kate's bag.

"If it is valuable, wouldn't it be logical for it to remain here?" asked Suran curiously. Logic, Vulcan's and logic were perhaps the most predictable combination of all time. She huffed, of course Kate had the gig with the most difficult race on earth. She turned her attention to Suran and replied, "I know, however it is also a tool that she will need up there," her tone was clipped causing Suran to look even more confused. She wasn't happy about Kate taking the spyglass up there, it was an ancient heirloom from her father, she had been there when the Admiral gave it to her, the first time she went with the Starks up to the arctic.

Before she could apologize the door of room opened, Kate and the Ambassador stood in the threshold, "Osu, T'sai Forrest," greeted Suran with a slight bow, it was then Amanda realized that Suran's priority wasn't just the Ambassador, it was Kate as well. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the Vulcan beside her, he was up to something and she was going to find out what. "Suran, Major Cole," The Ambassador acknowledged as he swept into the room, slipping out of his large outer robe as he did so, Kate followed after him, throwing her blazer into a chair and slipping out of her heels.

"I have the standard gear packed, as well as the spyglass," she stated as Kate slipped her shirt off. It was then Amanda remembered the Ambassador and Suran were in the room, "Good," Kate stated. The black tank top rippled as the young blonde slipped into the tight thermal gear, it hugged her skin, "I also took the liberty of ensuring that there was another mode of transport available, to avoid being tracked," she stated. She watched the young woman slip out of her slacks to see a pair of compression shorts, this wasn't the first time she had spotted this. She frowned knowing all too well why she had done such a thing, Amanda watched as Kate slipped the tight pants on as well.

She slowly placed a hand on Kate's shoulder, "You going to be okay?" she asked softly, her brows knitting together as she did so. Kate's ocean blue eyes flickered up to meet Amanda's browns, there was hesitation in them something she hadn't seen in a long time. "Yeah," she replied softly, Kate sounded vulnerable and it took Amanda all she had not to pull her best friend into her arms and give her a bone crushing hug. "He's not like him Amanda," Kate said softly, "He won't do that to me." Amanda wasn't convinced, men around Kate made her uneasy, she would never be able to erase that image of Kate standing before her covered in bruises and clutching her sides in the rain, a battered little girl who was crying.

Amanda sighed as she hung her head and watched Kate slip her feet into the black snow boots she had procured for her the pants slipping over the tops of them to hide them. "I know, but I worry about you," Amanda remarked as she held out an elastic for Kate's long hair. The blonde accepted the black band and twisted her hair into a bun, "I know, just look after Suran for me, and keep your ear to the ground," she instructed. Amanda watched the woman she knew transform from the battered little girl to a warrior, it was unnerving, but caused pride to swell in her chest. For years Kate told her how important she was, but in truth Amanda didn't consider her self important, it was this blonde warrior before her that mattered.

As always she was giving Amanda orders, only she really couldn't blame Kate. At this moment she was probably one of the only people on her side, other than Soval and she hoped Suran. Something dark was brewing, something that could not only get the Ambassador killed but she had a feeling everyone was in danger. There was a click and Amanda watched as Kate loaded the phaser and then slipped it into it's holster in her belt, before tucking it under her black leather jacket. She had her coat tucked away in her bag, for future use, "I'll listen for demons, as for Suran, I'll keep an eye on him but what about the High Command? They won't be happy about this and I have a feeling the Ambassador hasn't told them," she said after a moment.

Kate lifted the black back pack and adjusted the straps, "Leave the High Command to them Amanda, you have two things to do, the first see what you can find about this group her in Sausalito and San Fransisco, there's no way that this place was simply spared," she stated. Just then there was a rustle and she looked over to see Soval dressed in white attire, it was snug and thick, she had heard Vulcan's had arctic gear but never seen it, until now.

She turned her gaze back to Amanda, "Find out what they are up to, I don't want to see anymore explosions like the one from several days ago, these guys mean business, they wouldn't over look us, which means," she paused and Amanda nodded, "they have something bigger planned," Amanda finished. Soval slipped a bag over his shoulders, he looked comfortable carrying it, and Kate wondered why this was, for the longest time she had never seen him carry anything heavier than a PADD, yet there he was with his pack. "Someone's got to be supplying them with explosives, I'll see who's still running," said Amanda after a moment.

The Ambassador's aid stepped beside Amanda and suggested, "Perhaps that is something I am able to aid you with," he seemed interested. There was a pause, Amanda didn't need him injured or Kate would kill her, "No, you need to keep an eye on the High Command and the other delegates, since you are not traveling with the Ambassador you'll probably be in charge," she stated. She could smell exotic spices caress her nose and looked over to see Soval standing near her, "Suran will be kept up to date and will not contact us unless the High Command requires it."

Amanda turned to look at the silver haired ambassador, his word was law when it came to his subordinates, "Suran, remain vigilant, Major Forrest is correct that there is no way we were spared," he stated. Suran nodded and Amanda noticed something flicker in the Ambassador's eyes as he turned his attention to Kate, the young blonde stood stock still before them, "Hang on, Soval take the winter coat off, I need you to put something else on," Kate said after a moment of thought, her sky blue eyes swept over the Ambassador, analyzing every detail.

The Vulcan Ambassador looked irrevocably confused as he did as she asked, "You're still taking the coat with you, since you'll need it once we reach the Yukon, however, you can't walk around Sausalito like that," she stated. Soval slipped the heavy white coat off and Suran held his hand out expectantly, only for the Ambassador to fold it and slip it into his pack. Amanda watched with interest as Suran held his hands at his sides, looking slightly exasperated, it was as though Soval refused his assistance because he was able to, rather than necessarily desiring to. Kate walked over to the closet in the room, her fingers lingered on the silver handle, her hand trembled slightly. Amanda's hand shout out as though to give Kate support, she noticed how the blonde began to chew on her lip.

With a shake of her head, Kate had the door open and reached inside. Just as Amanda was about to ask what the young woman before her was up to she knew instantly. Clutched between the young woman's hands was an all too familiar item. Her gaze softened instantly as Kate ran her fingers over the supple brown leather, it was dark and soft. Blue eyes drifted to Soval as she approached him with the jacket, the Starfleet logo was on the front, it was trimmed with lamb's skin, soft to the touch and looked like a classic World War Two Bomber jacket. The brass zipper wasn't as glossy as it had once been and there were scuffs in the leather, and yet Amanda didn't see these imperfections as such, they gave the jacket character.

Kate stood before Soval, holding the jacket in her hands tenderly, "Put this on," she said in a small voice. Amanda's jaw hit the floor, the Ambassador eyed the garment with curiosity before recognition dawned on him. Olive skinned fingers paused before taking the garment from the young woman, "Was this?" he began only to pause. Kate nodded, "It was my dad's, he would agree with me, that you need it," she said softly. Soval gently brushed his fingers over the leather, she knew Vulcan's didn't like killing animals, they didn't believe in it, yet he was willing to touch this garment.

Soval looked to Kate once again, "Are you certain?" he asked hesitantly, Amanda was silent as she watched the exchange, never had Kate allowed anyone to even handle the jacket, le t alone wear it. She had met Admiral Forrest once, it was a professional encounter, in which the Admiral radiated confidence, as well as integrity. It was a 20 minute exchange, and probably a trivial duty to the Admiral, but in Amanda's world, it had changed her life. In that conversation she had been recruited to become a MACO. She had seen the jacket in his office, and learned later from Kate, that her father used to ride a rather large motorcycle, that was a classic spin on a 1940s bike, without the sidecar.

Soval nodded as he slipped it over his shoulders, the jacket oddly fit him, another example as to how Vulcans and Humans were not that different. He zipped the leather jacket halfway and turned his attention to Kate, who was smiling slightly. "Good," Kate finally breathed before Soval picked up his pack once more, "We will be taking my bike to the terminal and then loading it as cargo, it may not be helpful in the Yukon, but with Stark chances are that isn't the first stop," she stated nonchalantly as she hoisted her own pack over her shoulder and stepped to the side to begin their walk.

Amanda had to trot to keep up with the long strides of both the Ambassador and Kate, she had a bit of practice chasing Kate though. She quickly turned on her PADD and was greeted by a notice that not only had the tickets been processed but there was room in cargo for the motorcycle. "I have confirmation o the tickets, now remember you two aren't traveling as the Ambassador and his guard, you're officially Katharine Forrest and Soval, you'd be surprised how few people know you, Ambassador," Amanda explained. The Vulcan nodded as they continued down the hallway, each step drew them closer to the door and Amanda realized that these two were about to do something very dangerous, "Remember Kate, come back in one piece right?" she stated as she followed the pair into the garage. Suran had opened the overhead door to the garage and Kate was quickly slipping her pack into what looked like a cube.

Amanda stared curiously at the square as it seemed to collect the bag, "It's a cube, something that my dad gave me from one of his trips, it can't hold a lot, but it can hold our bags," she commented before reaching for Soval's. The Ambassador stared at the silver device as though he had never seen it, then again there was a large possibility of such, "I will carry mine," he stated as he held his hand out for the cube. Kate's eyes narroed as she looked at the hand in great confusion, "I will also carry the cube," he stated as though it were apparent.

At first Amanda though Kate would go lateral only to watch Kate shrug and hand him the slick silver cube. She was going to comment but decided not to, at least she knew they wouldn't kill one another, yet.

~~vOv~~

The blonde chuckled as she slipped her driving glasses on and proceeded to slipping a headset over her ear. She heard the distant crack of her head set registering her communicator, "Major Katharine Forrest," she said simply causing the headset to accept her vocal signature. She revved the engine, there was a rush through Kate's veins as the sound of the engine of her motorcycle growled in her ears, sending a tingle of excitement down her spine. No matter how frequently she rode her Yamazaki it never got old, and she knew it never would. There was something about the raw power between her legs that made her feel as though she had an intimate relationship with the bike.

She glanced over her shoulder and noticed a very hesitant Vulcan Ambassador, "Ambassador, this is the best way to get there, the Ambassadorial Convoy is too conspicuous," she stated. The Vulcan arched a brow as he examined the motorcycle; he then glanced to her before slowly slipping behind her on the bike. She could feel his weight on the back as he settled making the springs dip, it was a good thing she had opted for a two seater, it wasn't much larger but would due, they didn't have to go far.

She waited patently for his hands to wrap around her waist, she didn't need him flailing helplessly behind her, and if the weight wasn't evenly distributed she knew from experience that they were going to crack up. Kate waited a little longer only to realize he was probably at war with himself, he was a Vulcan and they didn't touch others, especially humans. Kate suppressed an eye roll as she reached behind her and swept her fingers of the leather of her father's jacket. Soval was as still as stone as she did this, "Grab my waist, we don't need to wreck," she commanded softly. The Ambassador was still and she glanced over her shoulder to see his conflicted expression, "Don't worry you won't hurt me," she encouraged. It was then she noticed a light green sweep across his cheeks and ears, Soval was blushing.

Kate smiled a little, it was actually endearing to see the fearless Vulcan blush. "Just hold on Soval, I'll take you there," she stated. The Ambassador finally slipped his arms around her waist, his large palms radiated heat that she had never known. In passing she noticed that Vulcan's had a higher body temperature but to feel it through her jacket and seep deeply into her skin caused her stomach to flutter. She could feel his powerful chest against her back and his strong arms enveloping her. Amanda stared at them, a knowing smile curling her lips, of course she had seen it. Kate mentally cursed her for being so keen and glared at her with a great deal of irritation, silently daring her to say a word.

Once Soval was settled Kate quickly turned out of the garage and slipped into the street. She smiled a little at the realization that no one, excluding Suran and Amanda, knew that she was taking the Ambassador out of the country, including the press. She had instructed Suran to release the information that the Ambassador was going to leave the Consulate once they were on the flitter leaving for the North. That way they would avoid the vultures known as the press.

The beat of the city is infectious, it manages to worm its way into the hearts of not only its inhabitants but visitors as well. Traffic is governed by this and the sound of a Yamazaki ripping through the streets passing flitters with easy made the rest of the city stand still. Kate shifted with ease as she powered through the traffic, weaving through it with ease, she leaned into the curves reveling in the speed and feeling of the air rushing past her face. This ride felt even better than most, she smiled a little as she passed a bus, reveling in the fact that she blew by it.

Powerful arms were wrapped around slender waist, tightening slightly, broad palms were pressed against her stomach, their heat searing her skin. She felt something stirring in her blood, she wasn't sure if it was because Soval's hands were hot or the fact that he was pressed against her and she could smell the exotic spice of Vulcan. It was enough to drown her senses. She could tell he was nervous however, she didn't understand how, but she could sense it.

Kate changed lanes as she got in the proper lane to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, Kate chuckled as she said swiftly, "Soval, relax and let me take you for a ride," The Ambassador huffed and felt a grin split her lips. The innuendo hadn't escaped her, at first she wanted to kick her self for saying such a thing, yet he didn't berate her. She hummed as she turned down a ramp that lead underground, the shuttle was being prepared and since it was a research and recreation shuttle, the only ones that might recognize them were Vulcans and she doubted there would be many leaving for the Yukon. She pulled up to the platform and quickly turned the bike off. She dismounted with ease and watched as Soval slipped off it as though he had been riding it for years.

She watched him curiously, he moved with the same fluid grace she had come to expect from the Vulcan. The dark brown jacket made his skin seem lighter and slightly golden, with a hue of green, as though he were a copper sculpture. "This is our transport?" asked the Ambassador as he looked a the small flitter, it was the size of a regular shuttle, it's sleek silver body was bulkier than most and the vents on it had black guards to prevent the ice from settling in them, the windows were tinted nearly black and Kate nodded. "Yup, standard transport to the Yukon, one of the snowiest regions in the world," she stated.

Suddenly one of the transport crews jogged over to her, "Forrest?" he asked nervously, his brown eyes flickered from Soval to her. Kate nodded and replied, "Yup, that's us. This needs to be put in cargo," she stated. The young man looked at the Yamazaki and replied, "Of course, I have a create and tags ready," he remarked as he ran his eyes over the Cobalt Blue machine, his tongue swept over his lips and she smirked, she knew he was imagining what it was like to ride her. "Thanks man," Kate said as she slapped him in the arm playfully before turning to Soval, who fell in place behind her.

Their boots made a racket against the metal flooring and grates of the station, the doors of the shuttle hissed as they opened, and the inside was a blinding white, with silver accents. Kate hummed as she was greeted by a rush of warm air and the chatter of researchers and tourists, Soval was the only Vulcan. She looked at the Ambassador and noticed he seemed calm, but she had a feeling he was uncomfortable. "Pass me the cube," she said softly as she turned her back to the rest of the cabin, it looked as though she were reaching into something. Dark fingers held out the small cube and she smiled as she opened it and pulled her bag out, "Hand me dad's jacket," she said softly as she slipped her own leather into it. Soval complied with ease and after a second both jackets were put away.

Kate slipped her bag over her shoulders and looked over at the many seats, many of the cabin's inhabitants were staring, she gently wrapped her hand around Soval's wrist and lead him to an empty area. She felt the Ambassador stiffen and whispered, "We have to act like friends," it was soft but she knew he would hear her. Soval was silent as he settled into the seat beside her, she had forced him to sit near the wall, it was easier to guard him that way. The chatter increased and she heard a boy ask, "Mom will I see Ice Bears?" The mother laughed and teased, "Perhaps."

Soval looked greatly confused and asked, "Doesn't he mean Polar Bears?" Kate paused, she was about to tell him only to see the book on the boy's lap, her lips curled upward and instantly she knew just what he was talking about. "No, he means Ice Bears, from Svalbard," she said brightly, she couldn't stop smiling, "they are characters in a famous earth work, _His Dark Materials_, specifically the _Golden Compass_." She glanced over to see the boy curling up against the bulkhead, book in hand, his eyes gliding over the pages, it was nice to know some things didn't change. She could remember the first time she had read the work, it was on a similar trip with her father to the North.

The Vulcan eyed the book keenly, he was about to ask another question when the captain's voice cracked over the intercom. Kate hummed as she scanned the room, ignoring the voice of the captain and his checks. "Stark had asked that you bring a spyglass," he said after a moment, "Suran informed me that Amanda had packed it." Kate's gaze fell on him as she felt the shuttle lift on the ground, now she understood why the spyglass was in her bag, the only thing she truly needed was the Astrolabe. She slowly opened her bag and pulled out the black case, "You mean this," she remarked as she held out the brass spyglass nestled in gray padding and velvet to Soval.

He slowly reached out and swept his fingers over the brass and leather grip. "Why would he ask you to do so?" he asked curiously as he wrapped his hands around it and pulled it out of the case. The shuttle pulled forward and Kate drew a deep breath before saying, "There are things which can be seen through that spyglass that can't be through any other." Soval took the cap off and she watched the Ambassador gaze through it, "It does not utilize a glass lens, I do not recognize this substance," he said with genuine interest as he looked at the lens it's self. "It's made of a very thin piece of Blue Amber," she replied, "It is able to pick up wave lengths that most stones can not." Soval nodded as he collapsed the spyglass and then slipped the cap back over the lens.

He handled the item with care, as though he was aware of just how rare it truly was. "He had also instructed me to remember the following. _But the stars that marked our starting fall away. We must go deeper into greater pain, for it is not permitted we stay_," he recounted with the ease of any scholar. His voice caressed each word with the same supple tone she had come to expect from him, part of her wondered how long it had taken him to learn Standard. He spoke it with such conviction and confidence that it must have taken him many years to master it, either that or he had a gifted tongue. Kate blushed as she thought about his tongue, she didn't understand why as she shook her head.

Soval's brown eyes were locked on her, and she noticed his hair was slightly out of place thanks to the ride on the back of her motorcycle. To see a single hair out of place was odd and she had to restrain herself from reaching out and attending to the disarray. "It is from Dante's _Inferno_, a famous epic about purgatory and hell," she replied, it was then she wondered why Stark had quoted such a work. In no way was Stark religious, she knew that was certain, he was an atheist through and through. Soval lifted a dark gray brow and asked, "What does an epic poem have to do with our situation?"

Another riddle, Stark loved riddles, he had given her one that evening just to execute a hand off of information. The world was being tossed into turmoil. The terrorist group was rallying up long forgotten circuits of organized crime. She hadn't missed the Ambassador's comment about Stark becoming unable to contact them again, "He's foreshadowing," she replied softly, it was his way of telling them that things were about to become even more complex and violent, "He's anticipating even more violence." Soval was silent and an uneasiness settled between them, she didn't want to see anyone injured, especially not her charge, she wasn't going to fail, she couldn't.

The Ambassador drew a deep breath before saying, "I require meditation, please rouse me when we arrive." Kate jumped and immediately turned her attention to the Ambassador, already he had assumed a meditation posture and his eyes were closed. "One of these days he's going to have to teach me how the hell he does that," she mused as she watched him slip into a trance flawlessly.

~~vOv~~

Memories are some of the most powerful things, it isn't about the amount of information an individual is able to retain, but the power of emotions locked with in these moments. Moments which at the time had shaped who we are as an individual, they are fleeting, succulent and rare, they have enough power to impact us for life.

_A gray landscape surrounded the Ambassador, once again the color from Vulcan's sands had been drained and he was surrounded by a bleak gray world that was nothing like his home. His brown eyes flickered around the rocks, there wasn't a drop of color, he was trapped in an old Terran monochrome photo. He yearned for the mind he had once that was filled with color, it was vivid and alive, yet time had managed to drain every last drop of life from him. _

_There was a flicker and suddenly the sand beneath his feet and between his toes had vanished, he was falling. Soval was alarmed by how rapidly he was falling, his mind was turbulent but he had never lost control of his ability to keep memories in place. He staggered slightly as he stumbled into his own memory. It was unnerving, but apparently there was a portion of his mind that desired to show him something, if only he understood what had caused such a rapid fall. As the world seemed to steady he found himself sitting at his desk, his eyes landed on his own form sitting at the desk. He scowled in confusion as he rounded the desk and looked at the date on the chronometer, before he could even question it he heard the tap of heels, it was quick and echoed off the walls of the consulate._

_Immediately he knew it wasn't a Vulcan approaching, they didn't wear such shoes, they weren't practical. Human, their owner was human and he knew of only one Terran female that always wore heels. Soval watched his younger self perk up and look toward the door, the sultry voice that belonged to one of the most energetic women was heard, it bounded off the walls and seemed to cause a stir in the consulate. Then again, there were very few instances where the arrival of Katharine Monroe, Maxwell's fiancée, didn't cause a stir. Suran, who was currently hovering in the doorway, he was dressed in dark brown and orange robes, an ensemble that was typical for a Vulcan, said nervously, "Osu, Katharine Monroe is here to speak with you." _

_Soval suppressed the urge to smile, "SURAN I TOLD YOU TO CALL ME KITTY!" she shouted. The Vulcan Ambassador watched confusion flutter across Suran's face, it was a fascinating response. His lips quirked up as he began to mentally count, 3… 2… 1… "But you are not a cat, human's are descended from apes, not felines," he stated._

_Expressions were lost on Suran, no matter how long the aid had worked on Earth they were still confusing to him. Katharine stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowed and she tossed her brown hair over her shoulder before directing he glare to Suran. Soval noticed she was standing in a pair of towering high heels, jeans, a violet blazer with a white shirt and had a gray scarf covered in white tigers on it. Her hair was down and she had a pair of 1950s sunglasses on her head. Over her shoulder was a familiar black camera bag, something that was so natural that everyone in the Consulate had given up asking to inspect it. _

_Suran didn't even flinch and stated, "It is illogical." Katharine crossed her arms before stating, as she always did, "Humans are illogical, get used to it." Soval's lips quirked up, she always did sass Suran, who had learned to simply except it. She turned her attention to Soval in the memory and asked, "Did you get a chance to look over my proposal?" Katharine stepped into his office, by that point Soval was standing and gestured to the seat across from him. Now he really did remember the day, it was one of the most anticipated in her career and one of the few times he was able to use his power as Ambassador to benefit a human._

"_Yes, I have and it was presented to the High Command," he replied. Katharine settled into the seat across from his desk and Soval asked Suran to bring in some tea, something mild that he typically served humans. He had learned long ago, with Max in particular, that Vulcan Spice tea was an 'acquired' taste. She sat up straight in the chair and he noticed the bag was sitting on the floor by her feet, clearly she was anticipating his result. "The High Command wasn't in agreement, however I have spoken with a number of artists who had viewed the expedition and decided to assist you. Kuvak, the Minister of Culture has agreed with me and is willing to assist you," he stated. He watched Katharine's eyes light up and she nearly leapt out of her seat. She smiled broadly as she leaned forward, "They don't mind being painted?" she asked. _

_Soval knew that was a huge part of the shoot and shook his head, "They were nervous, however after seeing the original prints they believe it will be fascinating," he stated. In reality he had pressed Kuvak to agree, the photos when added to the massive exhibit that she was planning to include all the members of the fledgling Collation of Planets was going to be explosive. He was already well aware that the Andorians and Tellarties had agreed, which meant Vulcan, Earth's longest standing guide would be absent. He wasn't going to allow that. _

"_So when do they arrive?" asked Katharine and Soval blinked, apparently she hadn't realized what he stated, "They are not." She looked even more confused as she crossed her arms and he continued, "You are going to Vulcan for the session, there are a number of people who want the images to be presented in our National Gallery, as well as the Collation's Exhibit." At that point her mouth fell open and he noticed she looked even more shocked, he was planning on taking her with him when he returned, he had invited Max as well. He had a feeling the pair would enjoy Vulcan, even if it was hot and very different from Earth. "NO WAY! That's amazing!" she shouted with joy, he had a feeling she would. _

_Suran returned with the tea, it was then he noticed a smile curling his Aid's lips, it was just as well considering her excitement was something similar to a small child. "So the expenses are paid? When do I have to get on a shuttle? I have to tell Max," she began rambling. Soval held his hand up and shook his head, "You're expenses are covered by the High Command, and public transportation is unnecessary as is informing Lieutenant Forrest," he stated. _

_He paused and steepled his hands before him, in an attempt to hide his slight smile, he couldn't resist with her, she was like a child stepping into his world, "He was informed as soon as the information that your proposition has been approved was delivered," he began as he wrapped his hand around his tea cup, "As for transportation, you will be travelling with myself on the T'Mir, Lieutenant Forrest will be going with us," he stated. _

_Katharine was sipping her tea happily, he took a moment to breathe only to have her ask, "I was wondering if I could shoot your kids, you know, as the Ambassador of Vulcan I'm sure your kids would be all for getting covered in pain to amuse the illogical human." Soval froze his grip increased on the cup to the point he was worried about breaking it. He placed it on his desk, he drew a breath and noticed she looked insulted, "My wife and daughter are dead," he said softly. _

_Silence fell between them, he could feel her sadness, "What happened?" she asked. Soval continued to look into his tea, he couldn't look at her, he just couldn't. "There was a bombing on Vulcan, the Romulans had set off charges across the city, my wife and daughter perished in one of the blasts," he said softly, he couldn't tell her the full story, and he hoped she wouldn't ask. There was a rustle and he felt a hand rest on his shoulder, it was cool. He looked up and noticed Katharine's tender gaze, "It's okay, we all lose people, but you know what's great about life?" she asked._

_Soval stared at her and remained silent, she took that as her cue to continue, "You somehow always get back what you've lost," she stated with a knowing smile. _

"_How can one acquire once more what they lost?" he asked._

_Katharine smiled, "Oh don't worry, you will, and it will be in the most unconventional way and unusual time," she replied, "but, you'll be happy again, I know you will."_

"_How?" he asked as he looked up at the woman before him._

_Katharine smiled softly, "I just do."_

_Soval was silent as he watched the memory end and slipped back into the morose desert. Katharine Monroe, the photographer who would be one of the first to travel among the stars. He slowly looked at the horizon, and smiled fondly as he looked to the horizon. He pondered for a moment, why such a memory would come to the forefront of his mind, without his permission. There was a spark of red on the horizon and warmth surrounded him, it caused color to flood the sky and the realm around him._ "Soval," _called a voice softly. The voice was soft, lush and made his katra stir. _

"Soval, we have arrived," she called once again, her voice was like that of a siren from old Earth lore, alluring. His eyes flickered open to see a pair of sky blue eyes gazing at him, she was so close, he could smell her soap, the woods, musk, and spices, she smelt like twilight in the woods.

She was leaning toward him, a breath away. A golden strand of hair slipped from behind her, falling in her face and he fought his desire to touch the strands himself and sweep it back. It looked as soft as silk, and he wondered if it was just as fine. "Soval?" she asked curiously, concern flickering in her eyes. His eyes slipped over her face, her full lips they were a light pink, her clear skin with a faint flush. "Soval?" she asked once more and placed a hand on his shoulder.

He shook himself to awareness and looked at the hand on his shoulder curiously, only for her to rapidly release him, "Sorry I was worried the cold was affecting you, we landed at the port," she stated. Soval looked up to see everyone leaving and he rose from his seat, "As we have yet to leave the compartment the possibility of the exterior temperature affecting my system is 0.172%," he stated logically. Kate's expression hardened and he watched as she pulled back, looking slightly irritated. He relied on logic, it kept his world up right, and prevented it from falling apart. He couldn't allow himself to slip into such a state.

Their bags were still heavy and he noticed how she handled hers with ease, they left the shuttle and he was met with a blast of cool air. It wasn't as cold as he anticipated, he had expected an icy wind, only to be greeted by a small terminal where the researchers were breaking up. The young boy was still clutching the novel. He walked past a large glass sign greeting them and noticed several bulletins flittering across it, in both Earth Standard as well as Andorian, it wasn't a surprise, he had a feeling many Andorians made their vacation plans to this region. He continued walking through the terminal, Kate was standing ramrod straight, and it was then he noticed her fingers at her sides, while she seemed relaxed there was a particular rigidness in her hands, as though she were prepared to pull a phaser at any point.

They walked with ease through the terminal, its inhabitants entirely unaware of their true identities and purpose. Just then Kate's PADD rang, he watched as she pulled out the black PADD and turned down a side hallway, "This way," she instructed as she continued down her path. Their footsteps echoed against the tile floors and the chill seeped through the tinted windows, the sun had long since set and the darkness of the night had arrived. She stood outside the doorway and looked over at him, "Alright, it's peak of winder, meaning it's going to be very cold," she stated.

Soval nodded as he watched her type in her pass code, part of him wondered if he should even question how she had managed to acquisition the information, and the other part realized this would be part of his daily life with her. The doors slid open and he was met by an icy wind, it chilled him to the bone despite the number of layers he was wrapped in. Waiting for them several feet from the door was a sleek silver flitter, it was radically different from the box like ones he was accustomed to. "Evora sent it, it's one of Stark's, no one will question it," Kate offered in explanation as she opened the door.

Without hesitation Soval slipped into the rather luxurious compartment, her stared at the fabric seats that were made of a custom weave, the seats hugged his body as he sat in the passenger seat. Kate was already sitting in the driver's seat and ran through the checks, his eyes flickered over the dashboard, only to realize there weren't any buttons. He was about to ask how it worked when he noticed several displays appear on the glass, "All go," she said simply and he noticed her tap several panels before finally lifting away.

Clearly it was another piece of Stark's technology, "Who is Evora?" asked Soval after a moment as Kate slowly turned the flitter about and continued vertically, the ground growing further away as she did so. "Evora, is the house keeper who keeps the Cabin in shape," she stated, "She also usually sends a ride." The flitter flew even higher until it was just above the towering evergreens. It was then he realized that the entire day she had been at the helm, that in reality he hadn't made a single decision after the speech, and yet he was comfortable with it.

Kate flew over the trees slowly before tapping a button on the steering column, Soval felt the flitter jerk forward and listened to the hum of the throttle as the engines switched from auxiliary thrusters to the major set. The flitter moved faster than even he anticipated, in fact, it was as fast as his privet shuttle on Vulcan. He wasn't aware of Terrans possessing something this fast. The trees were a blur as were the mountains, his focus was on the dark skyline, "You haven't argued with me at all, it's odd," stated Kate.

Soval looked at her, her eyes were locked on the scene before them, she wasn't using auto pilot, and it was then he realized just how capable she was. "You have made logical decisions, based upon our options," he replied stiffly, "You're responsible for my safety and since we have acquired this new task, you will do the best you can," he stated. Kate smiled a little as she pulled through the mountains, it was then she flew toward the valley. Soval was confused for a moment as she flew at a lower altitude. "We are nearly there," she answered, even though he never asked the question.

Rising out of the darkness were golden lights, as they drew nearer he noticed a structure rising out of the ground. Kate had mentioned that Stark owned a Cabin and he had anticipated a small structure, this wasn't small in any sense of the word. The structure was two floors, however it seemed grander with the massive glass front. The roof was tinned from what he could tell and there was a large traditional stone chimney. As they drew closer her realized just how tall the peak of the house was, the pitch of the room was nearly a perfect 45 degree angle, the frame work of the glass was stunning, the golden light flooding the dark valley made the golden hue of the wood stand out.

There were several black panels on the roof standing out against the white snow, windows, there was a great deal of light that seemed to get into the house. Kate navigated the portal with grace as she began to set up to set down. She gently lowered it to the ground, "Did I mention Stark really doesn't have to work? He just likes to tinker?" asked Kate as she turned the flitter off. He stared at her and Kate shrugged, "Come on, it's cold and it'll be warmer inside," she stated. Soval was greeted by another icy blast as she opened the flitter door. He wrapped his arms around himself and quickly to stave off some of the chill. His brown eyes were locked on the structure and he trudge through the deep snow, obviously Evora hadn't had time to prepare.

Kate quickly walked up to the door to the foyer, it was covered in carvings of the north, the details screamed the level of planning that went into building and furnishing the cabin. The large brass handles were old fashioned as he watched her open the double doors. He stepped over the threshold and found himself being wrapped in the warmth of the house, the lighting and furnishings were welcoming, as compared to the minimalist tendencies of Vulcans. He looked up to see the exposed beams over his head, the massive A frame created a grid of rafters and beams, the wooden columns that had erupted out of the floor made him feel as though he were part of the forest.

He heard the doors close behind him and he stared at the massive carvings of tree trunks on either side of the door. His eyes traveled over the pseudo exposed roots that had been carved to look as though they were breaking apart the dark tiles of the floor. "They are hand carved," Kate's voice caused him to look to the side, she was sweeping her fingers over the smooth wood, "They were carved by Jack Carter, Dr. Nathan Stark's husband, they built this place." Kate slowly waved him through and he followed her out of the foyer, he noticed a large staircase rising out of the floor and wrapping up the side of the building, it was lined with book cases and drawers. His eyes jumped from surface to surface, drawings of inventions and places hung on the walls. Most of these images were technical drawings of machines which flew, he noticed images of starships and planes. There were also tapestries of Inuit weavings and he looked over the bright colors.

He walked through another doorway only to find him self in a large room that was near the kitchen, the house seemed to have an open floor plan for the most part, so few walls that he felt as though he were in a wide open space. The living room was sunken in, he had to walk down the stairs and the sofa and chairs were nestled before an expansive fireplace. "Evora is asleep," stated Kate. Soval nodded as he looked over to the side to see a breakfast bar and massive kitchen off to the side. It was as though a single expense hadn't been spared in the construction of the cabin.

Soval turned his attention to the windows and asked, "What are they made of?" Kate smiled as she replied, "It's an impenetrable transparent alloy, the name escapes me. Honestly Stark would know." Soval nodded, it was an acceptable enough answer.

~~vOv~~

Kate shivered the cold of the outside world had slipped through her thermals and she looked over at the Ambassador who was eyeing the environmental controls. She hummed as she called out, "Raise the temperature 15 degrees," she said. Immediately the room responded and she looked at the control panel. She sighed as she slipped out of her coat and placed it over the back of the sofa, rolling her stiff shoulders as she did so. Her body was stiff from the tension and the amount of time she had spent sitting in the shuttle, the motorcycle ride and running around the consulate, for her it had been a 20 hour day and her muscles were protesting to every movement.

She slipped her hands over her neck and slowly kneaded at the back of it while tipping her head back, she closed her eyes and exhaled. "Alright," she said after a moment as she looked at the Ambassador who was slipping out of his coat, he looked a little more comfortable. "What do you want for dinner? We will have to run into town in the morning for fresh produce and such," she stated. The Vulcan Ambassador picked up her coat and carried his own to the closet, she watched as he hung them. "I have no preference outside of my dietary requirements," he stated. Of course he was attempting to make it easier on her and Kate sighed as her hands rested on her hips, "Alright, soup and bread it is, it's too late to make anything else," she stated.

She was about to walk into the kitchen only to pause and sit on the sofa, she sank into the cushions of the navy blue sofa that had a large and colorful tribal blanket across the back and slipped her boots off. She listened to the black footwear hit the floor and then gathered them up, "My feet are sore from these things," she stated absently as she walked toward the foyer and placed them on one of the shelves. It was then she noticed that Soval's were next to hers, she paused and noticed the size difference, his were much larger and she sighed why the sight of her boots next to his made her pause was beyond her. She rubbed her hands together as she wandered through the living room, it hadn't changed since she had visited as a child.

The high ceilings, the colorful Inuit tapestries and wood that surrounded them. She hummed as she swept through the house and entered the kitchen, just as she pulled a pot and went through the fridge for vegetables Soval asked, "Would you like some assistance?" Kate looked up and paused as she placed a stack of carrots on the block, standing at the entrance of the kitchen was the Vulcan Ambassador in a sleek black turtleneck sweater, his sleeves were rolled up and the charcoal gray snow pants he had been wearing were still present. Kate's lips suddenly felt dry and she slowly licked her lips, "Sure," she replied, her voice soft and sounded nervous even to her own ears.

Soval stood beside her, his sleeves were rolled up as he looked at the food, "We do not handle our food with our hands," Soval stated. Kate smiled at him as she asked, "Then could you open the stock and keep an eye on the stove?" Soval nodded and proceeded to do as she instructed. Kate quickly opened a container of vegetable stock, it looked as though Evora had intended to use it later, "Here, use this for the base," she said as she held the white container out to him. The Ambassador grabbed the top of the jug and said, "Thank you." The pair paused and Kate looked up at the Ambassador, his dark eyes fell on her blues and he replied, "Of course," as he took the container.

Kate hummed as she turned her attention to the carrots she was chopping, there was silence between them as they cooked, each moving around one another as though it were the most natural dance they had ever done. They moved with grace as Kate added ingredients to the pot and Soval checked the bread as well as stirred the pot's contents and added spices in small precise increments. His fingers moved deftly as he tapped the spices free of their confines and into the stock.

The sound of the gas stove's flame burning in the range coupled with the sound of a knife hitting the cutting board made the room settle into a serene silence. For that brief amount of time, the world seemed to fade, there wasn't Terra Prime, they weren't in the Yukon to meet an unknown man to get the Logic Diamond Reader, Vulcan's economy wasn't under distress, the weapons signatures didn't exist, all that mattered was that they were cooking a meal, together. Kate looked over to Soval, she admired his powerful shoulders and back, they had been highlighted by the thick sweater he was wearing that seemed to hug him.

Oddly she mentally thanked Suran for selecting the garment, she had a feeling that Soval hadn't selected it for himself. "I shall set the table," stated Soval as he lowered the heat on the soup and looked through the cabinets. "Here," she rushed as she reached over his shoulder, only she hadn't seen his hand hovering over the handle. Her fingers brushed his elegant long fingers that stood out against the golden wood of the hand crafted cabinets and the silver handles. A spark slipped through her skin, sending a shiver of pure pleasure through her spine, she gasped at the strength of it. Her heart sped up and suddenly she felt her stomach flutter. Soval was frozen and she noticed the tips of his ears turning green against his silver hair. His regal profile was dusted with an olive green blush as he stiffened, slowly the Vulcan closed his eyes and drew a breath. Kate was enthralled, as his dark eyes opened, his pupils were dilated and he turned his head, they were so close she could see the streaks of gold in his irises. He smelt of the desert moon, and exotic spices from his teas and incents.

"Major Forrest," he breathed, his voice was lush like velvet but raspy. Kate stared at him, she wanted to move, but couldn't find the strength to. She was trapped by this clever Vulcan, "Katharine," he whispered as he slowly drew back, his hands behind his back in a flash. She stared at him in confusion until she noticed how his chest heaved, "Soval," she said softly and shook her head, "Sorry, what was that?" she asked. She slowly rubbed her temple with her fingers and closed her eyes. There was a humming in the back of her mind when they had touched, yet now there wasn't. It was then she remembered Vulcan's were touch telepaths but didn't realize that a brush of the hand would result in something that powerful. She had touched the Ambassador before but never felt the spark.

Soval looked at the bowls and cautiously pulled them out of the cabinet, avoiding her reach. "A Vulcan's hands are very sensitive, what you had experienced inadvertently is how many mates display affection," he explained cautiously, observing every rule of propriety. Kate's blue gaze never left him and she nodded, it was always a joy to learn about the mysterious culture, "So it's like a caress in human terms?" she asked curiously.

The Ambassador shook his head and replied, "No, it is the Vulcan equivalent of a kiss." Kate felt her cheeks heat up and she wanted to hide, Kate ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at it a little as she did so. "I k-kissed you? By accident?" she asked softly, her hand covering her eyes as shame swept over her. She had just managed to kiss her charge, the man she was to protect. It was then she realized it was actually more than that. She had just kissed the Vulcan Ambassador Soval, one of the most powerful forces on Earth and respected diplomats known.

He retreated to the dining room carrying the white square bowls and a black whicker basked for the bread. She watched curiously as he reached into a cupboard and pulled out red cloth. Red, the color of the skies of Vulcan and her sands, Kate knew there were blue clothes as well as white ones, yet he had selected a vivid color, something bold and daring. She watched him move about the dining room, it was painted a daring navy blue, which contrasted the golden wooden walls that glowed thanks to the soft filters placed on the LED fixtures hanging from the ceiling off to the sides. The sides were lined with dark mahogany sideboards and a buffet as well as a drop leaf table, all of which looked as though the woods had slipped into the room. There were branches and leaves carved into their sides and the glass panels were held in the door panels by what had looked like a thicket of thin branches, the glass sparkling like due in the morning sun. Glasses were lined up behind them as well as various other necessities to host a diner of grandeur.

However, it was the dinning room table that stood out the most. It was a tangle of branches that had been sanded and sealed, they varied in color. Some branches were nearly white, others gold and a large mahogany branch twisted through the middle. The table it's self was a large piece of scratch resistant transparent aluminum. She watched as Soval placed several cloth place mats on the table, they were also a bold red. Kate took the hint and put the soup in a large bowl and watched as Soval grabbed a smaller mat and a cast iron wheel. He had set the places so they were at opposite ends of the large table, it was as though he had created a barrier between them. Obviously he was taking precautions, to which Kate couldn't object, she had no interest in once again finding herself in such an awkward position.

She returned to the kitchen and brought out a wooden board, the bread resting atop of it as though it always belonged there. Soval was standing at attention, waiting for her to enter, it was then she wondered if he would always be so ridged around her. She placed the board on the table and slowly took her seat, only for Soval to follow suit. Dinner was a silent affair and she had a feeling it was going to continue on like this. The awkwardness that had settled between them made her want to leap across the table and ask him why he was behaving in such a way, it was an accident.

~~vOv~~

Pages flickered and with each passing day Archer learned not only how Max had seen the world, but just what the world truly was. Each page told him of the man's life and his vision and the more he read the more he learned of Katharine Monroe and Max's undying affection for her. Yet, there was darkness, it was so black he wondered how Max had managed to fight it. He shifted in his chair on deck and watched as the stars flew by, he was on duty and yet his mind wandered back to the journal. Admiral Forrest had stated it held the answers they sought, but he couldn't figure it out. He had yet to find them in those pages. While he had learned a great deal about how the Admiral went from Lieutenant to Captain in a blink, he still wondered just what else was hiding in the shadows and how much Soval had known.

Soval and the Admiral were friends, closer than anyone else had achieved with the Ambassador, and yet the Vulcan's were keeping secrets. The lack of trust from the newly appointed High Council of Vulcan spoke volumes of the treachery that the culture had been subjected to. T'Pol had managed to clean house, however there was still a question as to if all of the followers of V'Las had been located and disposed of. There was no reason for Kuvak and T'Pau to question Soval's ability as the Ambassador, he had always been working in their best interest and had been there preventing Vulcan from tearing it's self apart.

There was more, there had to be. "Captain," called Hoshi, "I'm receiving a distress signal from a Vulcan vessel." Archer snapped to attention and leaped out of his seat, a vessel in peril would be just enough to pull him out of his musings and perhaps clear his head, the journal and questions surrounding the previous events had been clouding his mind. "On screen," he commanded, as he looked over to T'Pol he noticed her standing as well with her hands clasped behind her back. His hazel eyes fell on the screen before them as it flickered, "Captain Archer," drawled an unfamiliar voice, it was stiff and nothing like those of T'Pol or Soval. Archer stared at the young Vulcan on the screen, he had dark brown eyes and a head full of black hair, his skin was bronze and had a slender build. "Who am I addressing?" he asked inquisitively. Vulcan's weren't known for reaching out when in trouble, they were much too proud, in fact they were just as difficult as Andorian's when it came to asking for aid.

"Sarek son of Surak and successor of Ambassador Soval," replied the Vulcan stiffly. Archer froze Surak was the father of Vulcan logic, his name was only whispered in corridors, he didn't realize there was still a family on Vulcan that had a stake with the name. Archer watched the Vulcan grip the consul as the ship jostled slightly, "We are experiencing engine failure, as well as life support failure, I have already had the crew evacuate," he stated. Even though he was emotionless and as calm as the surface of a serene lake, it was possible to see a hint of fear in his eyes.

Archer sobered to this statement, for a Vulcan to abandon a vessel meant they truly were in trouble, they would never do it other wise. "Sarek is there any hope for the engines?" asked Archer quickly before calling to Hoshi, "Get Trip up here." If there was anyone that could aid the failing Vulcan vessel it was Trip. Sarek was rapidly hitting buttons on several panels, his eyes becoming wild as he replied, "No, and I have less than five minutes left of oxygen," he said as he gripped the consul, his dark skin was turning far too pale, it was nearly translucent.

Archer stared in shock as the Vulcan swayed, it was less than that and Sarek was facing damage. "Archer to Trip," he called, Hoshi had him on stand by as always, "Trip, Cap'n," replied the blonde engineer. "Trip get him out of there, the last thing we need is to deal with a dead citizen of Vulcan," he commanded rapidly, knowing it would take a minute for Trip to reach the transporter. He turned his attention to the screen and watched as Sarek slowly began to close his eyes, "Sarek, lower your shields, we'll beam you out," he stated. Shran slowly opened his eyes and nodded slightly as he set to work.

"Shield on the Vulcan ship have been lowered," called Malcolm, the Captain only nodded and watched as Shran grabbed a black box, he assumed it was for the star ship, it wouldn't be the first time the remaining officer made a move to save the ship's black box. "Hoshi, get Phlox to the transporter, tell him to be equip to handle a Vulcan," he stated as he watched the Commander clutch the box to his chest. "Aye, sir," she replied diligently and he listened to her chatter in the background.

"Archer to Trip," he called only to hear Trip's voice acknowledge him on the other end, "Energize." He watched on the other end as Sarek was split into particles and waited, the Vulcan was out of the ship, now his only concern was if Phlox could help him. "T'Pol, you have command," he stated as he swept across the bridge, making his way to the turbo lift, he was going to see that Sarek had arrived himself. T'Pol settled in his chair and began firing orders Hoshi, vaguely he heard his First Officer instruct them to locate the scattered crew as he entered the lift.

The doors of the turbo lift closed and he grabbed the side railing waiting for it to arrive, someone had attacked Sarek and from what he could tell it had done substantial damage. It was probably Klingon, at least he thought it was, there had been a great deal of unrest with the Klingon Empire, much to the delight of the Collation. The lift came to a halt and Archer nearly sprinted down to the transporter room. "Captain," greeted Phlox, who was already kneeling beside Sarek, he was administering hypos and scanning him constantly. The Vulcan's prone form was on a stretcher, "He is suffering from mild asphyxiation, I'll have him better soon enough once we get him to sick bay," he said shortly. Archer nodded as he watched the stretcher be moved from its position and rushed down the hallway.

He was about to leave when he spotted the black box, he sighed as he slowly picked it up. It was unusual and didn't look like a piece of Vulcan technology he knew. His fingers swept over the sides of it, it was made of an alloy of some kind and was heavier than it appeared to be at first. "Bridge to the Captain," called a familiar voice, he quickly walked over to the wall and hit the intercom, "Archer," he replied as he looked at the box in his hands. "Sir, we have located the debris of the escape pod," T'Pol stated, "It was only large enough for five members." Archer paused, five crew members and Sarek, it was a small vessel, one of the smallest he had seen travel through space at such a distance before. Sarek was going somewhere and traveling light. "What can you tell me about the ship?" he asked after a moment.

T'Pol instantly replied, "It is designed primarily for speed, it has limited weapons capabilities and utilizes a warp drive unlike our own." Now he was very intrigued, from what he knew the Vulcan's could just barely reached Warp 7, for T'Pol to say it was significant meant that the ship could go far faster than that. "How fast?" asked Archer. It was then that Trip decided to make himself known and replied, "Warp 9, perhaps faster, I'm not sure how they did it, but the core failed." The Captain stared at the box in his hands, it may have been Vulcan but he doubted it, they didn't tend to make things as simple and ambiguous as this devise.

He looked to the intercom before responding, "Scan the ship and tell me how it all happened. T'Pol, set up a room for Sarek, make sure he is comfortable and then contact Vulcan. They will want to know about this, I'll see if I can get a hold of Ambassador Soval," he stated. He listened to them acknowledge his commands and began to walk down the hallway, he was unaware that Soval had a protégé, he would have been one of the first informed after the amount of work they did together. His boots clomped against the flooring as his fingers swept over the cube, before he realized it he was standing in his quarters.

He had to contact the Vulcan High Council, they would want to know of what had transpired involving their envoy. Archer waited for a response, all the while he was composing just how he was going to inform them that he had located the ship and learned that Sarek was in danger. The screen crackled to life and Archer was greeted by the image of T'Pau, she hadn't changed since he had met her in the Forge. He had been expecting to speak with Kuvak, he lifted his hand and formed a rather cumbersome Ta'al, no matter how long T'Pol had instructed him he was still unable to make the gesture. "Live long and prosper, T'Pau," he greeted. She nodded and greeted stiffly, "Captain Archer."

The captain looked at T'Pau and realized there was no point in small talk, she was Vulcan and as T'Pol often stated they didn't simply chat. "We received a distress signal from a Vulcan vessel, a majority of it's crew is dead, the only survivor is named Sarek," he stated. T'Pau was silent and he watched the woman carefully only for a spark of something appear in her eyes, he knew Vulcan's weren't unfeeling but this Vulcan in particular didn't mind suppressing her emotions. "How is Sarek?" she asked after a moment. Archer paused, he was about to tell her more of the ship, but to hear her ask about the young man who was clearly the captain oddly interrupted the thought. "He is suffering from Acute Asphyxiation, he is currently in a healing trance, but Phlox assures me that the damage is minimal," he replied.

She stared at him and asked, "There are no other Vulcan vessels in your vicinity, what happened?" Archer noticed the ice that seemed to settle in her voice. He blinked and replied, "We are currently investigating that, he had stated that he is a member of the house of Saruk, I was hoping you would be able to contact his family and inform them of the incident." There was silence and he watched as T'Pau shifted before him, it was strange in a way to watch a Vulcan shift when they were typically sitting rapidly at attention. "There is no need," she replied.

Archer glared and began, "They will want to know what has occurred and to be frank his family as the right to know that their son is out of danger." T'Pau held up her hand gracefully before responding, "There is no need, because I am his mother." Archer stared in confusion only to realize he was gaping rudely, "You are his mother," he repeated as though testing it for himself. Of course he had known the man in question for less than five minutes but honestly couldn't see the resemblance. "Yes," she replied tritely, or what he assumed to be trite.

It was then Archer remembered the device he was holding in his hand. "T'Pau, do you know what this is?" he asked as he held it up to her. T'Pau eyed the object curiously, he watched her eye brows shoot up, "No Captain, why?" Archer turned it over in his hand, his fingers sweeping over it's pointed corners and straight edges. "It was found on Sarek, he was very determined to keep it with him, or at least he was during the beam out," Archer stated. T'Pau folded her hands before her, "I have never seen it," she replied. Archer huffed and his head drooped, he would just have to wait for Sarek to rouse. "Thanks T'Pau," he stated.

She nodded, "Peace and Long Life, Captain Archer," T'Pau said smoothly before the screen went black. As always she didn't wait for him to finish communicating with her. He turned the cube over again and decided it was time to contact Soval, perhaps he would hold the answer, or at least he hoped so. He quickly dialed the consulate only to come face to face with Suran, it was odd usually Soval answered himself, since the Enterprise was known for getting its self tangled in diplomatic issues. "Hello Suran, I'm looking for Ambassador Soval," he said simply. Suran stared at him, for once he seemed nervous, "The Ambassador is not in," stated Suran as he glanced to the side, "He will be back in a week," Archer stared at the screen in pure shock. Ambassador Soval wasn't available, that was impossible. Soval had practically taken every communication of his especially after the Andorian affair and loss of Admiral Forrest.

Archer stared at Suran and asked, "So he's off world?" Suran drew a deep breath and he heard someone say, "For god sake, Jon!" called a very familiar voice. A young woman with dark brown eyes and brown hair appeared, "Major Cole?" he asked in confusion. She groaned and stated, "Yeah, hi. Look is this line secure?" Archer nodded, he always used a secure line when contacting Soval. Why he wouldn't confused him, "Good, the Ambassador and Major Forrest are currently in the Arctic Circle, well outside of range. They are going to pick up something required to read a piece of software," she explained.

Of all the places for Soval to go, the arctic wasn't one he would think of. He nodded, "Kitty is with him?" asked Archer after a moment, his mind flew back to the journal and Suran nodded. "Why?" he asked. Suran was the one to speak and replied, "It is a long story." Archer could tell it wasn't something to speak about and nodded, "Fine, just tell him that we have his protégé Sarek," he stated. He didn't wait for them to reply as Malcolm had just asked for him.


End file.
